Forever my love
by Louari
Summary: Set 21 years after the Labyrinth. Anne, a self concious girl with a vivid imagination, absorbed in her love for a fictional king. Her dream is created. Will her fatuation grow or wither throughout the Labyrinth? Either way, her heart will be broken.
1. In which Anne makes a wish

**Labyrinth: Forever my love**

**Chapter one: In which Anne makes a wish**

1986, a young girl was miserable of her life of 'slavery' due to her wicked stepmother and spoilt baby brother, even her father seemed ignorant of her well being.

So one stormy night, after hearing the cruel words of her stepmother and her baby brother driving her insane, she called upon the Goblins to take him away forever, little did she know that the king of the Goblins had fallen in love with her and had given her certain powers thus her wish being granted.

Regretting her selfish wish, she pleaded to the King to give back her brother, as his heart was soft with desire for her he agreed on the condition that she would solve his Labyrinth within thirteen hours.

So through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, she had fought her way beyond the Goblin city to take back the child he had stolen. He would have never guessed that her will was as strong as his and her kingdom was just as great, he had offered the girl her heart's desire just as long as she would submit to him. But she spoke the words that would free her brother from the grasp of this man.

"You have no power over me."

Her baby brother was returned to her safe and sound and she never saw or heard from the Goblin king again.

Twenty one years later, he waits for a new challenger, new prey to test his Labyrinth of untold mysteries.

Little did anyone know that it would be the most unlikely person to travel through dangers and hardships. Lessons will be learnt, tears will shed and feelings would be realised, this is where our story begins, and ends……….

2007, It was unusually bright weather for England, for weeks it had been damp, dank and dreary. The grass and trees still held its dew but added to the beauty of the day, like fragile jewels of a surreal world, at least that's what Anne Duchess thought of it as.

Anne Duchess, eighteen years old yet the baby of her class, she didn't mind though as she always said "Anyone older then me is considered an old geezer."

She emerged from her Art class in the early afternoon with her friends.

"Thank god that lesson's over. He never knows when to shut up." Groaned Nikki, referring to their tutor.

"Yeah, he just repeats himself over and over when we could be getting on with our work." Her boyfriend James agreed. Anne giggled. Everyone always bad mouthed their tutor, so did she. He was a boring guy after all and from what she heard from online blogs, a bit of a pervert.

"You lot wanna go down to Bowlplex? I'll pay for the first game." Her best friend Kayleigh offered.

"Alright then. You coming as well Anne?" Nikki asked.

"Nah I'm gonna head home."

"Aw come on you hardly ever come with us."

"Maybe next time, got stuff I gotta do."

"Fine, don't socialise with us then." James said jokingly.

She smirked.

"Bye Anne." They all waved to her and headed off down town. Anne sighed as she watched them leave, she felt kind of bad for rejecting their offer but that was her just being typical. She hurried off to find her car, backpack hitting her behind as she walked.

Its not that she didn't like hanging out with her friends, she just preferred the company of herself which was funny enough, most of the time.

Even her father said that she should socialise more since she was getting older and on her way to university, to prove that she wasn't boring and weird, it sounded like a chore the way he said it to her.

Thinking about it made her more depressed, she got into her car and turned on the CD player. She shuffled till she heard a deep husky voice: David Bowie.

She turned on the engine and drove out of the college, she felt her cheeks grow hot as she listened to 'China girl', his voice always seemed to sooth her when she felt down.

Anne was quite shy and self conscious. A big reason why she wasn't too fond of hanging out with her friends, when it came to having a conversation she would try to avoid one at all costs in case she got her words mixed up or say something that was utter nonsense.

She was indeed a strange girl, one moment she would be happy and joking around and the next she would be quite and withdrawn, she was often ridiculed during her childhood because of it, to most people she was a weirdo, even her friends thought so. It didn't bother her much but she often wondered if it was the reason to some of her problems, like not having a boyfriend when most of the girls in her class did.

Imagine, eighteen years old and never once did she have a relationship, knowing this made her more insecure and withdrawn, making her believe she wasn't smart enough or pretty enough.

She hummed as she arrived at the front door of her house, she fiddled with the knob to find it locked. She sighed and rummaged through her backpack to find her keys, well more like 'a key and a bundle of key rings', still just a child at heart.

She set down her backpack and looked around the hallway, she remembered that her dad was going to visit his girlfriend after work and wouldn't be back till tomorrow evening, she had the whole house to her self.

"Whoopty frickin' doo." She mumbled and slumped upstairs to her bedroom and switched on her computer, she loved going onto online chat rooms, a place where she wasn't ridiculed and felt she could be herself. She checked her messages, a few RPG messages and Hellos but nothing spectacular, she seemed to find her inspiration for drawing through Role playing. Already she had thought of hundreds of characters from three eyed cats to Perverted Spanish Fire lords. She smiled and picked up her folder of drawings. She didn't dare to show theses to anyone; theses were personal to her, part of who she was. Gorgeous Water princesses, psychotic pirates with feminine issues, grumpy rabbit demons, purple cats, jealous Bishonens, talking animals with scarves, rag dolls with hearts. She was indeed a strange girl with a stranger imagination.

She put down her folder and switched off her computer, wondering what else she could do, her eyes skimmed down on her stack of anime and manga, another weird attribute according to some people but appreciated because of how well she drew, she remembered last Christmas when she was merely doodling and a friend snuck a peek and begged for a picture, next thing she knew all of her friends were asking for their own which she was more then happy to do, after all it saved her money on presents.

Her eyes fell upon 'Labyrinth', one of her most favourite movies. She picked it up and walked down stairs, while she set it up on the DVD player she poured herself a glass of water, she was constantly obsessing over her weight so she avoided sugar when she could, she walked back into the living room, sat down and pressed play.

She had watched Labyrinth countless times but never got tired of it, she felt she could relate to the surreal underground world. Things that were never what they seemed, she was never what she seemed or so she liked to think. But of course there was another reason why she loved Labyrinth so much: Jareth.

Even when she first saw the film as a child she instantly felt attraction towards the man, his strange attire and his mismatched eyes, everything about him appealed to her.

Of course he was just a fictional character played by David Bowie, whom she admired enough to cover every inch of her bedroom walls with poster of him and listen to his magnificent songs, even if most of them didn't make sense to her, like scared cows to spun Valentine evenings. She loved them all.

She made it clear to herself that Jareth and his actor were both very different people, with Bowie somewhere in the world surrounded by foreign admirers while 'Jareth' was a surreal man in an even more surreal world, sometimes she felt envious that there could be such a magical place while she was stuck in a place that was some what a drag to her, and of Sarah for being lucky enough to have a man who was willing to turn his world upside down for her.

She was indeed envious for Anne felt that she loved Jareth despite being fictional, but to say that she was 'in love' in him would be ludicrous. After all, she was just another fan girl.

The movie ended so she got up to turn off the television. She looked at the clock, 6:15. It was still pretty early in the evening, she wasn't hungry so she went upstairs to her room.

She sighed and looked around then she went over to her vanity chest and lifted the lid, revealing its treasures of silver and plastic jewellery. She looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Dark brown eyes, long black eye lashes, short auburn hair featured on a roundish face, she turned her head from side to side and sighed. She closed her vanity and looked at her figure in the larger mirror.

She was an average built girl with smallish breasts, she wasn't fat nor was she skinny, just enough 'Cushion for pushin' as she would like to say to herself to feel better.

She wore a white short sleeved shirt, a brown waist coat, blue jeans and comfy brown boots.

No matter how she looked at herself, she just didn't find herself attractive, she believed no one did and that she was a lonely weirdo. She sat down on her bed and picked up her favourite toy monkey.

It just didn't seem fair to her, she felt plain and boring and felt like crying. Sometimes she wished she would disappear but she knew that would never happen, or so she thought.

"I just..." She said to herself. She did this plenty of times and expected nothing different. She buried her face in her toy monkey.

"I wish the Goblins would take me away, right now."

What she didn't know that from the shadows she was being watched, shadows that formed into blonde spiky hair, tall slim built and mismatched eyes….

"Hello Anne."

Startled, she immediately looked up. There stood that man, the man she dreamed endlessly of, king of the Underground. Jareth.

She screamed.


	2. In which Anne freaks out

Hehe, chapter 2 up, this one contains a bit of cursing so please, no flamming?

**Chapter 2: In which Anne freaks out**

Never had Anne screamed so much before in her life, Jareth stiffened as she continued her ear shattering shrieking, she suddenly stopped, wheezing and trying to catch her breath, giving him the chance to speak.

"Anne…" Only to start screaming again, her voice was hoarser, he sighed and waited for her to stop again.

"Anne will…" She continued to shriek, taking deep breaths in between.

"Anne, would you please….." He stopped when he felt something soft hit his head, he looked down to see it was a stuffed toy monkey. Anne began throwing what she could grab from her bed, Jareth stood there frowning, the only damage it was doing was messing up his hair. After a few minutes of throwing and shrieking, she stopped, panting and staring at him in the awkward silence. He opened his mouth but then closed it in case breaking the silence would set her off in another screech fest. Instead he took the time to observe the young girl.

He noticed her hair was quite short, almost boyish and quite uncommon for a young girl but nevertheless he thought it suited her as well as the colour: darkish red with a hint of brown and flecks of gold, it was quite pretty. His eyes skimmed down to her figure, she was quite curvy and the waistcoat she wore defined the shape of her waist and breasts even with the baggy shirt she wore, but what really fascinated him were her big doe eyes. They were such a dark shade of brown, almost black, unlike Sarah's emerald green eyes. In fact this girl was the complete opposite from her. Unlike his Sarah, this was petrified of him, probably couldn't even stand up to a mouse, it was amazing she even had to nerve to make such a wish.

Anne noticed that he was checking her over, she looked away a few times then back at him. She always found it hard to keep eye contact for long periods of time, even if they were eyes of earth and sky.

"_It's a dream! It's all a dream, there's no way he's really standing there! I'll just close my eyes and wake up from this!"_ She then screwed her eyes shut, taking deep breathes. She finally began to calm down until she felt a weight on her bed. She opened her eyes and squeaked upon seeing Jareth on his foot against her bed.

"_Hesnotrealhesnotrealhesnotrealhesnotreal!!!!!!!!" _She repeated in her head deliriously

"Now Anne if I wasn't real I wouldn't be here now would I?" He said as if reading her mind, she frowned slightly wondering if she should be offended.

"Why ARE you here? I mean I know why you're here but you never came before when I wished." Jareth noticed that she had a similar accent to him but slightly more rough'. He pushed himself up from her bed and walked around observing her room.

"I don't answer every whining person's wish." He replied. Anne pouted, she knew he was arrogant but never this rude but she decided to bite her tongue.

"Why are you here now?" She asked, he turned and smirked at her.

"I was bored." She blushed slightly, he may be stuck up but he was still a good looking man. He smirked again, despite her timid nature she was bold enough to question him.

He conjured up a crystal and started to juggle it. Anne watched mesmerized as if put under his spell, she wondered if he knew of her dreams and was willing to grant them, she blushed, did he even know of her adult fantasies?

"Well then young lady, time to go." She blinked, coming out of her mesmerized state.

"Go where?" She asked, despite feeling stupid for doing so, Jareth continued to juggle his crystal.

"The Labyrinth. You wished to be taken away and I'm granting it." He simply replied. Anne felt her heart skip a beat, she always dreamed of seeing the mysteries of the Labyrinth for herself but at the same time she was frightened for she knew it would be dangerous and danger was something Miss Duchess wasn't keen on. Plus Jareth scared the crap out of her.

"I…" She began but was cut off by the Goblin king's glare.

"Don't defy me." He said firmly. Anne gulped nervously while experiencing Déjà vu, seeing the movie a hundred times she didn't know exactly what she was capable of so despite being scared she slide off her bed and slowly walked over to him.

Jareth was quite surprised by her obedience, from her previous state he expected her to put up a fight like most others. He threw the crystal he was juggling against her wall and to Anne's amazement it shattered like glass, revealing a twilight setting. Anne stepped forward realising she was really in underground, she stood on the same hill as Sarah, giving her a perfect view of the Labyrinth, she cocked her head to one side, wondering if she really had to go through all that.

"Like what you see?" He asked standing next to her, Anne automatically looked down at his tight pants, he followed her gaze in a surprised looked. Realising what she just did, she hastily looked back towards the view, her face now as red as the dusky sky.

"S-s'alright." She mumbled. The blonde haired man frowned expecting more of a reaction.

"Oh come come Annie, show some more enthusiasm." Anne frowned from the fact that she hated being called other then Anne.

"My name's Anne." She mumbled.

"Well Angie I'm sure you'll want to get started." He said ignoring her but still she kept quite. Her attention was drawn to a large thirteen hour clock against the large tree as he brushed past her.

"You have thirteen hours to solve the Labyrinth or else…..

"…You'll change me into a Goblin forever, Yeah I know." She interrupted lowly and hurriedly walked off, leaving Jareth taken back by this girl. First she was scared and timid then she was giving him attitude. Needless to say she was quite unpredictable.

"Hm, what a pity." He said disappearing, thinking of the challenges that await her.

It didn't take Anne long to make it to the outside of the Labyrinth, she was thankful that Hoggle was no where in sight. She had nothing against him per say but the thought of striking up a conversation dreaded her, but then again it would have been useful to have him around since she had a hard time finding the door, everything looked alike.

"Fucking hell!" He muttered, kicking a stone, which rebounded off the wall and hit her square in the forehead, setting her off screaming curse words, making a few nearby fairies giggle, she blushed and rubbed the sore mark on her forehead. She was about to kick the stone again but saw that there was suddenly a large door when there wasn't before, she sighed with relief and went over to open it. She budged the large door, it wouldn't move, a second time it still didn't move, with a frustrated sigh she pushed it again, opening it and falling flat on her face, the little group of fairies went into a fit of giggles. Anne stood up red faced as she brushed the dirt off her clothes, she was sure someone was trying to make a fool out of her, which honestly didn't take that much effort. At least now she was inside the Labyrinth and pretty much knew what to do, she instantly began to feel against the walls, trying to find and opening, she smiled with success in finding one.

Meanwhile in the Goblin city, the throne room was in a ruckus as always, Goblins hooting and drinking, chickens running and clucking and a quite normally bored Goblin King, he was holding a crystal ball, watching the young red head easily making her way through the Labyrinth but soon found the noise of the Goblins irritating.

"Shut up!" He snapped, causing total silence, he turned his attention back to the crystal.

He found it quite amusing to watch this girl, her sudden change in moods surprised him, almost as if she had a split personality which led him to wonder. What surprised him the most was that already she had made it out of the Labyrinth with the hidden openings and was now in the next one, it took her half the time then Sarah did.

He grunted and drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne, she was finding it way too easy and somehow he had to change that, the only question was how.

His thoughts were cut when he heard low chuckling in the corner; he looked up and saw a few goblins looking at a book of some kind.

"May I ask what you find do amusing?" He walked over and asked firmly, making the little Goblins jump with fright, the one holding the object was stuttering and trembling, Jareth screwed up his nose in disgust as he noticed the puddle underneath the creature. It sure was good to be king.

"Where did you get that?"

"It's that girly girl's." One of them said. A belonging of Anne's, this intrigued him more.

"Give that to me." He said, snatching it from the Goblin. It was actually a folder which he found when he opened it contained some of the most bizarre sketches he had ever seen, He saw a little signature which presumable was Anne's and he raised his eyebrows, all this from the mind of a seemingly innocent girl?

As he skimmed through an idea struck him, a smile formed on his face, making the other Goblins anxious, he went back to his throne and observed his crystal again.

"Anne my dear, may your wishes come true." He said with a laugh, followed by Goblin laughter.


	3. In which Anne discovers

Chapter 3, sorry still no lemon"

**Chapter 3: In which Anne discovers**

Left, right, another two lefts, a right, Anne sighed as she turned another corner, just when she thought she got the hang of the twisting and turning it seemed almost impossible but she tried not to panic. After all, things are not always what they seem in this place.

She stopped and looked in the distance towards the castle; she was sure that she could hear the shrill laughter of the Goblin king's subjects. What were they laughing at? Probably just a daily routine within the crumbling walls of the Goblin city, considering that Goblins were simple minded creatures that were easily amused, but still, she wondered what they were finding hilarious.

Her? Were they laughing at her and her feeble attempt of navigating through a twisted realm that Jareth could choose to alter whenever he felt?

She sighed again, she wondered if he was thinking of her, what he thought of her, if he liked her. She mentally scolded herself; he was a handsome, well groomed, arrogant yet somewhat charming king, she found it unlikely that he would find a plain, timid mouse like her attractive.

Thinking about it made her upset so she knelt down and tapped a stone panel to keep her mind off of it, but she was also curious about the small creatures that dwelled underneath. From what she saw from the movie they seemed irritating yet amusing in a way but as she continued to tap, there was no sign of them.

She sighed with disappointment and stood up, she wasn't actually sure how much time she had left and she yet to find the two headed guards. But as she stepped on the stone panel she had just tapped, it lifted slightly making her stumbled and fall to her knees, she sharply turned her head to see the little creature throwing off the panel with a loud clank and shaking its little fist.

"Heywatchwhereyagoingladyalmostbrokemyback!!" Anne watched in shock as it shrieked at her then struggled to grab and place back the stone panel before yelling.

"Yourpapaisafrickin'walrus!!"

She blinked a couple of times before realising she was still on the floor, she stood up and inspected her knees of her jeans; they were starting to wear from the multiply times she fell. She sighed and attempted to brush them clean.

"I'm never this bloody clumsy." She mumbled.

"Well it seems that you are lassy!"

"From the look of those pants you must have had quite a few trips!"

"Do send us a postcard for the next one!"

She looked up to see who was cackling at her, her mood changed when she saw it was the two headed guards when before there was just a dead end, her luck just kept changing, she slowly walked up and smiled lightly.

"Umm, one of these doors lead to the castle right?" She knew very well that she was right but to have a conversation about anything else with two headed twin guards was hard to think of, besides she was already feeling nervous and wanted to get this part over with. The bottom heads answered her.

"Yes that's right! ONE leads to the castle….."

"But the other leads to….."

"Certain death?" She finished.

"Ooh how did you know?"

"Hey, this one's a mind reader!" They said then chuckled, Anne couldn't help but smile as well, beginning to feel more relaxed.

"But you have to ask ONE question." They said, Anne bit her bottom lip, she remembered this part well but didn't understand the theory of Sarah's answer, she rubbed the bridge of her nose trying to figure it out.

"Have you decided yet?" The top heads had now emerged and waited patiently.

She shrugged and asked the same answer as Sarah did, even if she didn't understand the logic, anyway she decided to take the LEFT door instead of the right.

"I'll choose the l…." But then a thought came to her: One led to the castle, the other led to certain death and she knew if she was to pick the right door she would fall into the oubliette, she always thought that was the wrong door BUT technically it didn't lead to certain death and Sarah was able to make it to the next part of the Labyrinth, but only because Hoggle helped her and so far there had been no sign of him, BUT there was proof that there was a way out of the oubliette. She knew the sinister meaning behind the word oubliette but it made her wonder if the left door was far worse, and surely Jareth would let her die, would he?

Thinking about it made her confused and the guards were STILL waiting. She was becoming unsure of her choice and besides, she pretty much knew what would happen if she chose the right door and wanted to finish the Labyrinth as soon as possible.

"I'll choose the right door."

The right guardsman moved out the way for her, she thanked him and opened the door, she nervously took the first step, expecting to fall through, to her relief she didn't.

Maybe Jareth was finally giving her a break, she took the next step with confidence and fell into a hole.

Maybe not.

Her screams echoed as she fell into the darkness, she squeezed her eyes shut, wishing the churning sensation in her stomach would end, she began she feel herself slowing down and oddly enough, being groped, she opened her eyes to see hundreds if not thousands of hands everywhere (Maybe not that many but the stress and nerves made Anne exaggerate. A LOT).

She began to squirm a little in their grip.

"Ow you're hurting me!"

"How rude!" A few hands formed a face. "Not even as much as a thank you!"

"Maybe we should let go!" Another formed and said. Anne felt herself falling again.

"No wait sorry! I-I mean thank you!" She quickly said, she stopped again to her relief.

"That's better, so which way miss?"

"Up or down?"

"Umm…." The obvious choice was to go down but doubt there would be a soft landing.

"I'll go down but could you…."

She chose DOWN!!" They began to chant and let her fall.

"Wait! I said let me down…." She yelled but was blocked out from the laughing and chanting, she landed with a thud, dust erupting around her.

"…Gently." She mumbled, she wearily stood up and brushed the dust off her backside.

The Goblins laughed as they watched the oblivious girl.

"She'll never get out!"

"She's trapped!" They cackled, all except Jareth who was getting quite irritated.

"Shut up!" Their laughing became silent.

"Let's see what she does, she has yet to discover my gift for her, that's when it'll get really interesting." He laughed lowly, his subjects stared at him dumbfounded, he coughed and glared to signal them to laugh along, they did so and he sighed, wondering why he had to be the king of these imbeciles.

Anne struggled to see into the darkness, the opening in the ceiling didn't provide much light, she slowly walked with out stretched arms and felt the cold, stone wall. She figured maybe she could do what Hoggle did and use a large bit of wood for the door to the exit.

Half an hour later and no such luck.

She sighed with frustration, kicking up dirt then slumping against the wall, grunting and banging her head against it.

Jareth chuckled as he continued to watch the young girl, she was indeed entertaining, he decided to make it a little more fun. Anne felt something shining into her eyes. She blinked and squinted at a crystal ball, providing light for her.

Was Jareth helping her? She blushed and smiled a little. Maybe, just maybe he….

Anne's eyes went wide when she noticed that she was sitting right next to a skeleton, she screamed and tried to scramble away from it but stumbled back and fell into the wall. Well through the wall actually.

She groaned and sat up feeling dazed, she saw that there was a camouflaged curtain, gently drafting over the hole she fell just through.

Normally Anne could keep her temper under control and rarely showed it, but now, she was mad as hell!

She kicked the wall out of frustration, wishing it was Jareth's crotch, so far all he's done for her was making a mockery out of her, she swore next time that she would be giving him a piece of her mind as she walked into the tunnel of False Alarms.

"Go back!"

"This is not the way!"

"Beware, bew…."

"JUST SHUT UP!!!" She screamed and didn't hear another word from them.

"Just doing our job." One muttered. She felt bad for yelling at them but she was so pissed off at Jareth.

"Fucking asshole! Don't know why I liked that twat so much!" She mumbled as she stomped down the tunnel. She noticed that there were no sign of the cleaners but she didn't care as she climbed up the ladder, she also noticed that the old bird head man was no where to be seen either, just as well, she was saving her rage for Jareth.

She stomped through the hedge Labyrinth, muttering and cursing. No Goblin guards or Ludo either as she came into the clearing, she began to wonder what the hell was Jareth planning. She slumped on the floor.

She felt stressed and tired, she felt worse off then she did before she made that stupid wish, she squinted her eyes to try and hold back the tears but failed, she was a sensitive girl. She huddled up her knees and sobbed silently. She hated how he was toying with her, oblivious of her feelings. She was used to being ridiculed as a child, but to be treated this way now, and by Jareth made her feel pathetic.

She gave a startled sob when she heard a muffled sound, she turned to see the door knockers.

"Great." She sighed and whipped her eyes, she wondered how long they were there for. The knocker with the ring in its mouth was trying to say something.

"Don't talk with your mouth full!" The deaf knocker said. The other knocker just mumbled louder.

"What?"

"He's trying to ask what's wrong!" Came a nasally voice.

"Oh….." She looked around to see who was speaking; she turned back to the knockers to find there was a third door and knocker.

Like the other knockers, it was quite ugly, it had a long nose with a huge ring through its nostrils, and was breathing and panting through its mouth. Anne stared at it.

"What? Something hanging from my nose?" It wheezed a laugh at its own joke. Anne didn't know what to say, never had there been a third knocker, was this another one of Jareth's tricks? She suddenly remember why she was upset, the long nosed door knocker leered at her.

"What's your problem?" It asked.

"Huh? Oh, nothing's wrong." She sniffed.

"What?" The deaf knocker asked but was ignored.

"Well something must be wrong for you to cry."

Anne sighed. She really didn't want to talk about her problems, especially to a door knocker.

"Well….This place, ever since I came here bad things have happened to me." She sighed.

"I must have the worst luck."

"You?! You think you got problems?! At least you can breathe through YOUR nose! I have to breathe out of my mouth cus of this damn ring!"

"What?" asked the deaf door knocker while the other door mumbled.

"He can't talk and he's deaf as a post and what's more you got legs! You can go where ever you please while we stay in the same place day after day getting on each other's nerves! Compared to us lady you got it lucky!"

Anne frowned feeling incredible guilty, she didn't once think of anyone else's problems but her own. She had a home, parents, education, job, some good friends and still she complained. She never really considered how lucky she really was and felt ashamed, she wanted respect and yet she would act like a child. Plus having that ring in its nose looked pretty painful.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." She felt weird apologising to a door knocker but either way she meant it.

"What?"

"She says she's sorry!"

"MMmm mmmm mmmmm!"

"Mumble, mumble, mumble! That's all you do!"

"Oh shut up!!"

"Can't hear you!"

"Hmph! Mmmm!"

Anne listened in silence. She couldn't but feel sorry for them but knew that she couldn't do anything for them. Anyway she had to choose a door to go through.

"Um, excuse me?" She mumbled, they ignored her and continued to bicker, she frowned and cleared her throat.

"Excuse me!" She said in a strong clear voice. They immediately stopped and stared at her.

"Thank you, now….." She pondered on which door to choose: The left door would most likely be the death of her, the middle lead to the forest but the new door made her curious.

What was Jareth up to she wondered. Probably more ways to humiliate her, well she wouldn't have it. She walked to the middle door and reached for the knocker.

"Not choosing the new door?"

She gasped and turned to see Jareth standing next to her, he had that usual smirk on his face, despite being angry at him she blushed.

"Angelica, you disappointment me." He placed a hand on his heart and pretended to look hurt.

"Leave me alone." She mumbled. He frowned, this time he was hurt, he walked over to the new door.

"But I made this 'especially' for you." He said, making Anne blush more, he smirked in amusement, he loved making her nervous.

"I….I don't care." Her voice started to break. Jareth raised and eyebrow.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. Anne sucked in her bottom lip, how dare he pretend to care she thought and tried not to cry again.

"No! Haven't you got a baby to kidnap or something? Leave me alone, I'm choosing this door!" she grabbed the ring of the middle door.

He frowned; no one had ever spoken to him like that before, not even Sarah.

Nevertheless this made him even more curious about her, he just needed to open her up more, she her smile, but for now he just enjoyed teasing her.

"Tsk tsk, oh Annabelle, always picking the easy route." Anne froze.

"You know what your problem is Anne Boleyn? You're afraid to try, you always take the easy way out, and that's why no one takes you seriously my dear."

She was tempted to tell him to 'get fucked', but she knew he was right.

If she was ever faced with a hard challenge, she would always try to find an easy way out. Yes it was true that she was lazy but the thought of failing concerned her the most, she wanted to succeed and get the respect she thought she deserved.

She left go of the knocker. This was her chance to prove just that.

"Fine." She said and walked past the smiling Blonde, she grabbed the heavy ring.

"Hope you don't mind." She whispered.

"I'm a door knocker, that's what I'm here for." It wheezed. "And try to chin up huh? Things could always be worse."

That's what she was afraid of, nevertheless she sighed and knocked, the door slowly opened, it was pitch black inside. She turned back to look at Jareth but he was already gone.

"Bugger……here goes." She mumbled and walked into the darkness.


	4. In which Anne meets Malice

Sorry if my chapters seem kinda slow " No lemon yet sorry, just the use of swear words

**Chapter 4: In which Anne meets Malice**

Anne stood in what she thought was total darkness, well she did have her eyes closed, she was bloody terrified! She hated herself for letting Jareth bully her into choosing that door and for not yelling at him. She wanted to scream and shout at him so much, she swore she would but when it came down to it she just didn't have the nerve, he filled her with fear as much as admiration, he was capable of anything, after all he brought her here even if she didn't understand why, of all the people in the world why did he pick her?

She gave a startled gasp when she heard the soft sound of birds. Yes she was sure that's what it was.

She finally gathered enough courage to open her eyes and squinted, her eyes adjusted through the daylight to see that she was in a lush green clearing covered with a rainbow assortment of flowers, it was gorgeous. The sky was just as wonderful, clear blue with soft white wispy swirls for clouds.

Although she knew she never been here before, she couldn't help but have this familiar feeling. She was sure she could hear some kind of soft melody, she didn't know what it was or why but, she felt so serene, like she belonged here.

She slowly walked forward, taking in the enchantment, as much as she was awed by the beauty of this place she sensed something odd about it as well, something she couldn't put her finger on, something….

"HEEEY!!"

She shrieked and looked around her to see who was yelling, she saw no one, making her even more scared that her heart was bursting out of her chest. She wondered if this was another one of Jareth's tricks.

"Hey get off me bitch!"

She looked down, her eyes went wide when she saw a small rabbit, a small GREEN rabbit squirming and struggling, and she saw why since she was standing on its ear.

"Oh!" She pulled her foot back as if on fire, the little rabbit scurried back a few feet then stopped and glared at her.

"Watch where you're going broad!" He said menacingly, Anne was speechless. A short tempered green rabbit was giving her attitude.

"Um, I-I'm sorry, I…" A thought then hit her: this place, the bad ass rabbit, she now knew why it seemed so familiar to her. This was her dream, her fantasy, her own special place.

"Why….?" She mumbled, why did Jareth do this for her? She didn't understand. Meanwhile the little green rabbit was starting to get frustrated.

"Hey what the hell is your problem lady?!" It asked, Anne blinked and looked down at him. If this place was her creation then so was he, she knelt down and motioned him forward with her hand, he gave her a suspicious look but slowly hopped closer, giving her a better look of him. His dark green coat shone in the sunlight, like fresh green leaves in the springtime, she saw a glimpse of his white tail, it looked soft and fluffy like a marshmallow. Adorable if it weren't for the scowl on his face, his eyes were dark and menacing but not emotionless, he was just grumpy. Between his left eye and little pink nose ran a dark red scar as menacing as his glare, wrapped around his head and left ear was a black bandana, leaving his right ear erect. The gold hoop piercing in his left ear shone in the sunlight. This was indeed her creation.

"Is…..Your name Malice?" She asked, his eyes widened for a second then hopped back, thinking she was a threat.

"What's it to ya?! You've come to curse me to?!"

She raised an eyebrow, obviously Jareth had made alterations to her world to suit him.

"No, what do you mean curse?"

"None of your damn business toots." Malice mumbled and scratched his ear, she frowned, thinking she should have made him more cheerful, or at least polite.

"You don't have to be rude I was just asking."

"Whatever, you're not from around here are you?" He hopped around inspecting the strange girl, she felt uncomfortable, even if he was a rabbit. She shook her head to answer. Malice stood on his hind legs and looked her up and down, his nose twitched.

"What the hell are you, a Goblin?!" He asked demandingly. Anne leered, oh how she was tempted to step on the little rodent.

"No I'm not a Goblin!"

"Damn lady I was only asking jeez, there've been a lot of those ugly bastards around lately!" He muttered but was still loud enough for Anne to hear.

"You saw Goblins? Do you know where the castle is?" He eyed her suspiciously.

"What castle?"

"Jar….the Goblin King's castle!"

"I might, why?" She sighed with frustration, why was he being so difficult?

"I need to get there fast! Can you show me the way? Please?" It was a low point to be begging a rabbit for help, then again it's not like she had any other choice.

"Lemme think about it……….No!"

"Why not?!" She gripped the grass hard, wishing it was his head.

"Cus lady, I don't see why I should help some….meat sack like you! And besides, you have to get through the twisted forest." He gestured over to a sinister looking forest, it was just a clearing a moment ago, the trees were bent and crooked and were twisted and turned in all directions, Anne forced her mouth shut, you had to be a frickin' noodle to get through that!

"See what I mean? And from the looks of your big butt, you wouldn't get past the first tree." Anne felt her face darken, partly because he was probably right.

"Bet I could!" She snapped at him standing up and walking over to the obstacle.

"Doesn't look that hard." She inspected it and saw an opening at the bottom, getting down on her hands and knees she crawled through, only to find she had to make a sharp turn which was quite a squeeze. Just above from where she was were two tree trunks that were intertwined to make an opening, Anne tried to sit up to reach but found that her body was stuck, the branches kept digging into her back, she sighed with frustration, knowing she had no choice but to crawl back out where that stupid rabbit was waiting for her with a smug look.

"What'd I tell ya meat sack!"

She muttered cursing under her breath as she straightened her clothes out, she then got down to her knees in front of the rabbit.

"Would you please help me? I don't know how much time I have left!" She pleaded. He leered at her, not quite understanding what she meant.

"Why should I?"

"Cus I'm asking nicely and think of it this way, if you help me then I'd owe you one, isn't that fair?" He scowled, so far life hasn't been far, for either of them. His ear and nose twitched as he thought of a decision, Anne watched him intensely.

"Ok, ok, I'll make a deal with you, I'll help you find this castle if you help me with my problem."

"Which is?"

"My curse." Anne's brow furrowed, Malice sighed.

"Ok here's the thing, some crazy broad put a spell on me and changed me into….this!!" He hopped a couple of times.

"Why?"

"How the hell should I know, I said she was crazy didn't I?! Look, you gotta find a way to break it!"

"Ok, how do I do that?"

"Jeez lady I don't know, use your head!" Anne felt her temper rising, he could stay cursed for all she cared but right now he was her only hope of getting through the thicket.

"Deal." She sighed.

"Good on ya toots." He said then hopped away, Anne watched him He stopped and looked back at her.

"Don't just sit there then, follow me!"

Anne blinked, she pushed herself up and trotted after him, being a rabbit he was quite fast, something that was not a strong suit of Anne's. Still, he had the decency to wait for her to catch up, decency with a scowl. To her relief he came to a complete stop, still leering but she became used to it.

"Think you can fit through there?" He asked gesturing to another opening, it still looked a squeeze but it was bigger then the last entrance.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good cus that's the biggest I could find." He mumbled and hopped inside, she couldn't help feeling a little insulted, deal or not she began to consider on ditching the runt.

"Hurry it up!"

The young girl sighed and hunched down to enter, it wasn't as condensed as before but the obstacle still looked just as hard. Malice was already ahead, hopping over branches and crawling through hollow trunks, he glanced back at her before carrying on.

Some help, she thought bitterly as she trudged on, desperately trying to catch up with the little bugger, causing her to stumble and catch her clothes on stray branches. She found it to be more like a thorny rose bush, minus the lovely florets as she travelled deeper.

From what seemed like forever, she emerged out into the opening again, along with her outfit looking dirty and tattered, Malice was already waiting for her.

"About time, thought you got your ass stuck." He grumbled, this time she scowled at him.

"You could have waited for me! I DID almost get stuck, trying to catch up to you!"

"Oh boo hoo, you got a little dirty so what?! Least you don't have to lick your ass clean!"

He turned and kicked his legs. She fancied the idea of kicking him herself but then noticed that he was limping slightly.

"Hey, you ok?" He turned his head.

"What? I'm fine!" He snapped and continued to hop. She sighed, men were also so difficult. She tried to sneak up and made a jump for him, thanks to his sensitive hearing he managed to scurry away as she hit the ground flat on her face.

"What the fuck is your problem woman?!" He glared at her despite being a little shaky. She groaned and pushed herself up.

"I just want to see your leg." She moved cautiously towards him but he backed away.

"Back off!" He barked. She made another lunge at him, only to fall flat on her face again, even with a limp he managed to avoid her, once again she pushed herself up only to try again. Her determination finally paid off when she tackled the difficult bunny.

"LET GO OF ME!!!" He yelled, squirming and fidgeting in her grasp, despite this she managed to get a glimpse of his back feet. His right foot was matted with blood, he had quite a nasty gash. Anne figured he hurt himself in the forest, god knows she did, she had the scratches to prove it, she couldn't feeling sorry for him considering he must have been in pain but obviously, too proud to say anything.

With her free arm, she tugged at the sleeve of her shirt, Malice stopped struggling to see what she was doing, with another tug her sleeve ripped off, she sighed, she quite fond of this shirt but of course good intentions came first, she couldn't let the runt's foot go septic, even if he was a pain in the ass.

She ripped the fabric again with her teeth, not wanting the risk of letting Malice go who was watching with confusion as well fascination.

"Now hold still." She mumbled, she carefully wrapped a strip of the material around his foot, she was glad to see that he stopped squirming and loosened her grip, to her relief he stayed still within her lap. Anne wondered if he was alright; it was hard to tell since it seemed he had a permanent scowl on his furry face. When she finished knotting the bandage she stood up, still holding the little rabbit.

"I'm gonna have to carry you so just tell me where to go ok?"

He remained silent, obviously not used to being told what to do. Instead he gestured his head forward, she followed the gesture to see the castle in the distance and where 'he' was. With little knowledge of how much time remained she trudged forward carrying the grumpy animal, it seemed like he wasn't going to speak so she took the opportunity to admire more of her surroundings. It truly was just like a dream, they WERE her dreams which brought her back to wondering why Jareth did this for her, sure a ballroom or something would have been nice but to create a patch of her imagination in the Underground seemed a little too extreme.

"Name?"

Anne broke out of her thought and realised Malice was talking to her.

"Huh?"

"You never told me your name meat sack!"

"Oh! It's Anne." She replied. He mumbled something and his fur of his cheeks turned dark red, she could have sworn he said 'Cute name', she giggled a little, being nice looked as if it was a difficult struggle for the little guy. He looked up and leered at her.

"What the hell's so funny?" He asked.

"Nothing." She shook her head and smiled, oblivious to the fact that she was being watched by a certain king through a certain crystal.

He grinned then by magic, disappeared.

Ho hooo! What's he gonna do?...Haven't figured it out yet...


	5. In which Jareth has an intruder

Here a LONG chapter, sorry still no lemony lemon but hey, theres quite a few swear words hehehe

Unfortunetly I don't own Labyrinth or Jareth T-T BUT I do Own Anne, The nose knocker, Malice, Queen Kitara, Louari and the upcoming character.

**Chapte**r **5: In which Jareth has an intruder**

The Underground consists of many Kingdoms, not just one within the dreary walls of the Goblin city, no; Jareth's domain was merely a patch among the Underground world.

One in particular, north far from the Goblin city was the castle of Mer, located within the city of Rasgones.

Unlike the grotesque city of Goblins, Rasgones was peaceful and somewhat tranquil, its marble walls protected the pastel coloured buildings, and the streets were paved with pure white marble, you'd think that no one ever set foot inside the city from seeing how clean it was. You wouldn't find any chickens running about that's for sure.

The marbled path led to a stairway that seemed to go on forever from a base perspective, all the way to the castle which of course was made of marble but with a hint of lilac, just like the throne room of a young queen, sitting on a marble throne.

Her hair was also white and tinted with lilac that flowed down to the waist of her elegant figure, her gown was just as elegant, light purple upon fair skin. Her soft blue eyes were just as exquisite. She was young enough to be a princess yet wise enough to be a queen but, also like Jareth, she was bored, being royalty did have it's drawbacks so for the past few hours she had been conjuring up birds and such in the form of water.

She sighed and formed a small dove. She watched its watery form glisten in the light before letting it take off around the throne room.

"Your majesty."

She gasped, breaking her concentration and the dove's form, the splash echoed throughout the room as the water landed on the person that had spoke, a tall woman with short and now wet crimson hair. Unlike the queen, she had tanned skin, her right eye was chocolate brown while the left was covered with an eye patch. Her baggy black attire was worn under black and red armour, her left arm was exposed with a lilac ribbon tied around, proof of loyalty to her queen.

"Oh, Louari you frightened me."

"Bored again I see your majesty." A woman replied, brushing the damp hair from her face, the queen tried to hide back her laugh but presuming she was here on business she straightened herself up and cleared her throat.

"You have something to report?"

"Yes you majesty, as you presumed the human girl is here, Anne I believe.

"So I see." The queen walked to the large window that overlooked her kingdom.

"So she is on her way to the Goblin city, correct?"

"Yes your majesty." The young queen frowned.

"So, he is at it again….." She sighed and turned back to her loyal solider.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes your majesty, Malice is with her." The queen's eyes gave a watery glint. She turned her head slightly, placing a hand on her heart. Louari watched her queen with a pang of pity and guilt, she knew how she would react, hearing that 'man's' name but to keep something like this from her would go against everything she stood by, her loyalty to her queen and more or less, her friend.

"Your majesty…" The queen held up her hand and smiled.

"That is all, thank you Louari."

"It is my pleasure your majesty." She saluted her queen and turned to leave, but suddenly sensed she had something else to say, the young queen smiled, she knew her well.

"Louari, I have told you many names, call me Kitara."

"I know your majesty." She replied bluntly without turning to look at her, she left, leaving the young woman to smile and shake her head. But as she looked back towards the window, her brow puckered in grimace.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered: That didn't just apply to Anne, it apply to the entire Underground as well.

"Jareth you fool…." She whispered, fearing that history would soon repeat itself.

"Jeez I can crawl faster then this! Watch where you walking! I said LEFT Not right!"

Anne sighed, from what she thought would be a quite journey, within ten minutes Malice started yelling at her, whether to give directions or just yell for the sake of yelling.

"Watch the rock!!" Anne gasped and stumbled over a stray rock, but to her relief she managed to regain her balance, this didn't stop Malice from criticising her of course.

"What the hell are you blind?! Are you trying to kill me?! Your big ass could have crushed me!!" Anne glowered, from her counting, this was the tenth insult about her ass and boy, was she getting pissed off.

"Will you stop yelling at me?! You're making me nervous!"

"Oh boo hoo, suck it up meat sack!"

"Stop calling me that I have a name!"

"Yeah, but it ain't big ass….OW!!" The aggravated girl grabbed his ear and yanked it hard, she had a tight grip on him so there was no way for him to retaliate.

"You crazy bitch let go!!!" This only made her yank harder.

"Shut up! And if you make one more ass joke….."

"You'll what? Sit on me?" She growled with frustration and pulled his ear again.

"AHHH OKAY, OKAY LET GO LET GO!!!" He shrieked, he felt her let go and pawed at his ear, feeling it throb with pain.

"Woman that was cold hearted!" He mumbled.

"Oh boo hoo, suck it up." She repeated his statement with amusement, making him mumble more.

"My, my, my Anne, how aggressive."

That voice, it sent shivers up her spine, she hastily turned to see Jareth leaning against a twisted tree with a somewhat amused look on his face. She blushed, wondering how long he had been standing there. Malice looked the man up and down with a scowl then looked up at Anne.

"Who the hell's he?" Anne ignored him, too embarrassed to speak. Jareth smirked and pushed himself off the tree.

"Well, well Anne I never knew you had such a temper, and here I thought you were a shy little mouse." Anne stood on the spot, not daring to move as he circled her like a predator to its prey, Malice kept quite, wondering what the hell was going on.

"Tell me." She froze as he placed his gloved hand on her shoulder. "How many sides do you have?" He purposely breathed into her ear, she pulled away instantly shivering.

"What do you want?" She demanded. Still smirking he cocked his head to the side.

"I came to see how you were doing Angie." She frowned, there he goes purposely misusing her name again.

"And from the looks of it, you had quite a struggle." He referred to her ripped and worn out clothes, her jeans were dirty and her shirt had small tears from her previous venture through the twisted wood, she blushed and nervously shifted her weight, Malice furrowed his brow.

"And I see you found a pet." He added, making Malice scowl.

"I ain't no fucking pet you glittery motherfu…." Anne clasped his hand over his mouth before he finished his sentence.

"Um, he's my new friend, Malice." Jareth frowned at the green bunny then turned his attention back to Anne.

"So I see. He has your temperament." Malice's squirmed and muffled violent ranting, Jareth smirked as he watched Anne try and keep him under control, he couldn't recall the last time he was so amused.

"But I must say Anne you must be pleased, it's not everyday that the creator gets to meet the creation." Both Malice and Anne stopped and turned their heads towards him, both with furrowed brows.

"How did you…?" Anne suddenly noticed that Jareth was holding something familiar and instantly recognised it as he waved it in the air.

"Hey that's mine!" She snapped at him despite making no attempt to retrieve her folder from him, after all he was capable of many things. Jareth remained coolly, drumming his fingers on the hardback.

"Why so uptight? Can't one admire another's work?" Anne blinked, was he actually giving her a compliment?

"You….like my work?" The king nodded.

"Quite, I must say you have quite a talent young lady." Anne bashfully lowered her head to hide her blushing face, oblivious to Malice leering at her.

"Anyway, I'm sure you'll want to get on, time is short." Anne looked up to see him leave, the anger she felt towards him seemed to have melted away, and sure she had good reasons to be mad with him but found that his charm made up for his insolence.

"Jareth."

He stopped and turned his head. She nervously cleared her throat and to his astonishment, smiled.

"Thank you."

He gaped at her. Never had anyone smiled at him before, looks of defiance, anger, fear, yes he was used to those but a smile, this was new to him. He opened his mouth as if to say 'you're welcome' but then closed it again. Instead he indicated to the thirteen hour clock that suddenly appeared against the warped tree, Anne sucked in her bottom lip, hoping he wouldn't reduce her time.

"You have eight hours and forty seven minutes left. You still have a long way to go." To her surprise the hands the remained where they were, she turned her head back to Jareth, he was gone.

She would have stood there in silence, if it were not for Malice's sudden outburst.

"Oh ho ho I get it, it all makes sense now!" Anne blinked and looked down at him.

"What are you talking about?" Malice jumped down from her arms, he limped slightly as he hopped onto a rock facing her, giving Anne the feeling that she was about to be interrogated.

"Spill it, the only reason you want to go the Goblin city is because of Mr fancy pants that was just here, isn't it?!"

"No it isn't, I got no interest in him!" She glowered in her defence, despite her redness giving some truth to his theory. He snorted.

"Oh please, you were practically flirting with the guy. It's so obvious you're wet for him."

"Am not, I was being polite!" She snapped, feeling stupid for letting a rodent get to her, Malice rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, come on we don't wanna be late for your boyfriend." Anne huffed in frustration, obviously he wasn't going to quit.

"Shut up." She mumbled as she picked him up and continued on, watching the stray rocks and branches as she went.

"Jeez don't get upset, no big deal if you got a thing for glittery leather clad freaks with tight pants." He continued to her dismay.

"What is with that anyway? That must be hell on the nuts!"

"How should I know, and why were you looking anyway?"

"How could anyone not, especially you Miss blush-a-lot, I bet you anything he'd pitch a tent down there if you said…"

"Can we talk about something else?!" She interrupted.

"Fine, fine, I can take a hint. Speaking of which, what did he mean about that whole creator meeting creation crap?"

Anne was almost lost for words, how on earth was she supposed tell a green, ill tempered rabbit that she was his creator and everything else around them. He didn't exactly take too kindly to her at first sight, she daren't think how he would react if she told him.

"It's nothing, he was just talking shit." She finally replied. Malice remained silent to her relief, but only for a few minutes.

"And another thing, what was that about me being your friend?" Her brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's just that I thought you hated me, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't any help to you." Anne sighed and scratched her head, where was this coming from all of a sudden?

"I don't hate you, you're just rude and obnoxious and that pisses me off. And besides if I did hate you I would have left you back there and taken the chance on my own."

"Oh…." He mumbled, she figured he wanted to say more but didn't push him, she figured he felt the same way.

"Hey, Anne?" He added, using her actual name for the first time.

"Yes?" She smiled, maybe he was finally being to open up his heart and share his gratitude for their newfound friendship.

"When we get to this Jareth dude's castle…You're gonna fuck him right?"

Evidence of her answer involved a sore rabbit ear and a lot of shrieking.

Meanwhile within the Goblin city, the noise of singing filtered out of the crooked castle. Not long after Jareth's return, he ordered his grotesque subjects to carry out the chorus to their king's song as he danced along with mirth.

"_I saw my baby, crying hard as babes could cry, what could I do?..."_

A somewhat 'normal' thing he did when he was bored, but since his last meeting with Anne he became more and more curious about her, almost to want to follow her around for the remainder of her journey. He scoffed at himself. It was unlike him to get so worked up over a girl, so to keep his mind off of the matter and avoid questioning from the Goblins, he sang and he danced.

"_My baby's love had gone and left my baby blue, nobody knew…"_

So involved in his magical rhythm, he was oblivious to a Goblin solider entering the throne room.

"Your Highness."

"_What kind of magic spell to use?..."_

"Um, Your Highness…"

"_Slime and snail or puppy dog's tai, thunder or lightning..."_

"Your Highness!"

"_And baby said…_

"YOUR HIGHNESS!!!"

The Goblin Soldier's screech was followed by sheer silence.

"Hey, that's not how it goes." Said a dim minded Goblin who of course, was ignored. The Goblin soldier trembled as he was approached by a fuming king.

"Tell me, do you remember my number one rule?" He glowered at the Goblin.

"Uhh….T-things aren't always what they s-seem?" The little Goblin stuttered. Jareth wagged his finger.

"No, Its Never, and I mean NEVER to interrupt me during Magic dance!"

"F-forgive me your Highness!!" He whimpered, bowing his head several times, Jareth frowned and folded his arms.

"You better have a good reason for doing so!"

"Oh yes your Highness, there's an intruder!" Hearing the word 'intruder' suddenly caused uproar within the other Goblins.

"What?!" He unfolded his arms. Surely she couldn't have made her way here already, he had only last seen her an hour ago

"Is it the girl?!"

"No your Highness, we don't know who it is but he's already heading to the castle!"

"He?" He pondered, Jareth wasn't exactly a popular fellow but still, he couldn't think who it could be. The Goblins ran around in chaos, repeatedly screaming 'intruder, intruder!' Chickens squawked and flapped about, other Goblin soldiers dashed for the doors, attempting to defend their Kingdom, Jareth stood in the thick of it, impatiently rubbing his temples in aggravation.

"QUITE!" He boomed, as loud as the explosion heard, just outside the castle.


	6. In which Jareth meets Hero

Sorry if this story seems kinda slow "

**Chapter 6: In which Jareth meets Hero**

The screams and squawking ceased as dozens of heads whipped round, Jareth marched over to the opening that overlooked his city, crumbled houses were engulfed in flames, broken timber lie scattered and burnt throughout the streets and a few of the Goblins lay groaning in pain. Jareth swallowed, the goblins weren't exactly top rank soldiers and hadn't been in battle since twenty one years ago, but knowing one person did all that made him feel slightly anxious.

"Your Highness!" A goblin soldier panted as he entered the room, armour dented and what seemed to be partially melted.

"What now?!" He snapped, expecting to hear bad news of their defeat.

"The intruder your Highness, we caught him!"

Jareth blinked, he didn't see that coming.

"Oh….I see….." He said with slight relief. "Where is he now?"

"He's surrounded just outside the castle your Highness, shall we put him in the dungeon?"

Jareth stroked his chin in deep thought, this 'He' was powerful enough to burn half his city yet now he was just informed he had just been captured by goblins with the shared IQ of a peanut? That didn't make a whole lot of sense.

"Bring him to me. I want to see this person for myself." He said without giving eye contact, nevertheless the goblin bowed.

"Yes your Highness." He then scurried out of the room, all the goblins calmed down and went back to their routine: drinking, belching and being downright lazy.

Jareth stood by the window and conjured a crystal, curious to how Anne was doing. He watched her walk through the forest, carrying the foul mouthed green rodent, barking directions at her. As amused as Jareth was he was also concerned with how well she was doing, he had expected her to struggle and probably give up by now. Somehow he had to stop her, if only she didn't have that annoying little rabbit…

He cocked his head as he heard the clank of armour approaching, he tossed the crystal out the window, it turned into a bubble then popped out of existence.

"Hey quite pushing!" He noticed that the voice had quite a strong accent, although he wasn't sure what it was.

"Get in there!" The goblins hissed as they forced the intruder into the room. Jareth was surprised to see it was a young man, probably a little older then Anne, he had his arms up as the goblins jabbed him with their spears. His hair was black and flicked just above his shoulders, he sported red pants with an orange belt and a black waist coat over a white shit, he had a 'beauty spot' under his right eye, making him somewhat feminine. The man nervously smirked at him.

"Uh….Hola señor." Jareth cocked an eyebrow.

"_This_ is the intruder?" Jareth asked one of the goblins in doubt.

"Yes your Highness, he destroyed half the city."

"Hey hey, I no do that on purpose!" The man said in his defence.

"Then kindly tell me why you are trespassing in my city and how it ended up in shambles." He glowered, pointing his crop at him.

"Uh….well señor, I travel long way from many places, Perseverance, Tintagel, Oz, Terabithia…"

"Get on with it!" A goblin hissed, jabbing him in the backside making him squeal.

"Uh anyway, I then come upon this place uh…….."

"Goblin city." Jareth sighed.

"Ah sí, anyway I try to open door but it no open so I uh, make boom."

"Make boom?" Jareth raised his eyebrow

"Sí, make boom." Hands still in the air, he snapped his fingers, causing fiery sparks, he squealed as the goblins jabbed him again.

"I see, so you're a fire warlock." Jareth murmured, rubbing his chin.

"Sí, but I prefer 'Fire lord' señor, it sound better on tongue no?" Jareth responded by glaring at him.

"That still doesn't explain why you destroyed half my city!"

"I-I'm getting to that señor! See, I only meant to melt lock on door, not to blow it down, next thing I knew, little ugly people coming running around yelling 'intruder, intruder', I not know they meant me so I walk through city."

"Yes, but WHY did you burn half MY city?" Jareth started to get impatient.

"I was scared, little ugly people attacked me." Jareth gaped at him.

"….And why did you come here in the first place?"

"Ah, for the señoritas señor, I have uh how you say? Weakness for women….which I don't see anywhere hey, where are the woman?!" A few offended female goblins snorted, Jareth ignored his question and rubbed his temples.

"So let me clarify, you came here to look for a pretty face and ended up demolishing half my region just because you were frightened?"

"Sí señor."

Ah, it all made sense now, how a 'Fire lord' could destroy half his domain then let himself get captured by moronic goblins.

Frankly in Jareth's thought, this man was an idiot.

"Take him away, throw him in the bog or something." Jareth sighed.

"Yes your highness." The goblins jabbed the man out the doorway, who was truly an idiot for it took him a moment to realise his situation.

"NONONO PLEASE SEÑOR I BEG OF YOU, NO WOMAN WOULD COME NEAR ME IF I SMELL BAD!!!" He ran past the jabbing goblins and was clutching Jareth's foot.

"Get off me!!" Jareth hissed kicking him off, making him stumble back into the throne. Anne's folder was placed on it at the time and fell to the floor next to the young man. Puzzled, he picked it up as a small goblin scurried over to the irritated king and buffed his boot, Jareth mumbled impatiently, wondering what horrid punishment to bestow upon the young idiot.

"Ah, so you know of me señor?" Jareth turned his head to him.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Me señor, you have picture of me." Jareth kicked the little goblin and marched over to him, snatching the folder from him. He looked back and forth from him to Anne's sketch, it was indeed him, but what surprised him more was that seemingly innocent Anne created this moronic pervert.

"And there's my name señor." He pointed to a small scribble in the corner.

"Hero Fuego?"

"Sí señor, I am indeed fire lord Hero Fuego." He said with pride in his voice.

"And if you no mind me asking señor, who are you?" Jareth frowned, he was well and truly an idiot.

"…Jareth, and this is my castle."

"Ah, honour to meet you Rey Jareth." He said with a slight bow.

"Get away from your Highness!!" The goblins hissed closing in on Hero, they were ready to jab him when Jareth held up his hand.

"Wait!" The goblins immediately halted, Jareth lowered his hand then turned back to Hero. A smirk appeared on his face, he may not know Anne but she was bound to recognise this fool as he was her creation after all, thinking it over he knew exactly how to slow her down. Concerned about Jareth suspicious smirk, Hero looked around the room to see if he was smiling at anyone other then him.

"Uh…..Señor, why you look at me like that?" Still smirking, Jareth placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tell me, are you quite charming?" He asked. Hero blinked, looking from the hand on his shoulder to Jareth.

"…..Are you coming on to me?!"

"What?! No you idiot!!"

"Oh what a relief! I have bad experience with men, one minute I drinking Sangria in Narnia, next I wake up naked next to some fae called Graeme, it didn't work out even after…"

"Shush!" Jareth covered his mouth before he continued, how he managed this since Anne's coming he didn't know, and truthfully didn't care. He slowly removed his hand from his mouth.

"You are mistaken, what I mean is, are you good at charming women?"

"Ohhhhh, sí of course Rey Jareth, no woman yet as refused my passion, I am what women want." He said, boosting his own ego.

"Oh really?" Jareth replied, not caring to hide his sarcasm.

"Sí." He smiled, oblivious to the sarcasm. "Why you ask?" Jareth smirked once again.

"I'm glad you asked for I have an offer for you my young friend, I won't throw you in the bog of eternal stench if you do a simple task for me." Hero's eyes widened, he didn't exactly want to spend the rest of his life smelling like god knows what.

"What kind of task?" Jareth formulated a crystal. Hero looked closer to see a young girl carrying a green rabbit.

"Her name is Anne, I want you to gain her trust and lead her away from my castle, think you can do that?"

"No problemo señor, I can easily charm this señorita."

"Good, but I warn you now…" He held his crop under his chin and glowered at him.

"If you so much as touch her, I'll have you thrown head first into the bog, understand?" He mumbled, he may have gained his trust but didn't entirely like the idea of him being around Anne.

"Ho hoo I see, say no more señor, you are to claim her for yourself sí?"

"You could say that." He said airily, juggling three crystals, he then tossed one to him, he caught it and looked at it quizzically.

"Throw it to the ground and you'll appear in the forest." He answered his unasked question.

"Ah sí…So, when I complete this task?..."

"Yes, yes, I'll award you with any woman of your choice, ONLY if you succeed though." He glowered, Hero grinned and nodded.

"Ah, Gracias Rey Jareth, I will not fail…whoops!" Without meaning to he dropped the crystal, the glass shattered and evaporated into smoke, Hero was gone. The goblins stared at the spot then as if nothing had happened, returned to their so called normal routine, Jareth sat down on his throne, placing Anne's folder on his lap.

"Imbecile." He muttered.


	7. In which Hero decides

Nya Chap 7!! I forgot to mention before but I don't know a lot of Spanish, thank goodness for online translaters

STILL no lemon I'm sorry, But there will be in next chapter...hopefully

**Chapter 7: In which Hero decides**

At that same moment, Anne was trudging through the forest when Malice's ear pricked up.

"Hey, you hear something?"

"Hm?" Anne stopped to listen to their surroundings, nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, she never noticed how eerily quite it was.

"I don't hear anyth-" she was cut off by the sound of a tree branch cracking, followed by a high pitched squeal and thud. Anne screamed and jumped back.

"The fuck?!" Her head whipped around to find the source of the noise.

"What was that?!"

"Probably him." Malice gestured to a man, awkwardly sprawled against a tree, Anne stood there, not knowing what to do, bumps and bruises were one thing but dealing with an unconscious person left her mind blank. She jumped again when she heard him groan, he stumbled as he stood up and brushed the leaves and dirt from his clothes, having his back turned he hadn't noticed the young girl and rabbit present. Malice slightly dug his claws into Anne's hand to get her attention.

"Let's get out of here." He whispered.

"Shouldn't we see if he's alright? He just fell out of a tree."

"He's standing isn't he?!" Anne sighed, such a sympathetic rabbit. She silently walked over to the man.

"Hey, are you alright?" She asked. He turned around and his eyes widened, just as he saw from the crystal, a young girl holding a grungy looking animal. Up close she seemed a tad more muscular then other women he was used to, but never the less she was quite cute. Anne instantly felt nervous, he was a lot taller then she was and was staring at her in a strange way, although he was quite handsome, and familiar…

"What the hell are you gawking at moley?!" Malice snapped at him, he blinked and looked down at the rabbit.

"Oh, forgive me, for a moment I thought it died and gone to heaven, seeing such a pretty young lady."

Anne blushed slightly, Malice on the hand made a disgusted face.

"Um, thank you, are you alright?"

"Oh sí, sí, I'm fine señorita Anne." She gave a puzzled look.

"How'd you know my name?" Hero gulped, already he messed up.

"I uh…well uh…"

"Have you been following us?!" Malice demanded.

"Uh sí! I mean no…um uh…."

"Whatever, just back off asshole! Come on Anne!" Malice ordered. Anne wasn't in the mood to argue so she started to walk off, Hero bit his bottom lip, he dreaded the thought of Jareth chucking him in the bog.

"Uh Wait! I can take you to castle!" He blurted out, Anne halted and turned around.

"How did you know where we were going?" She gave him a suspicious look.

"Yeah, how?!"

"Um…I uh….." He racked his brain. The idea of deception seemed so much simpler before, except now he had to deal with a talking green rabbit and a girl with more then half a brain, unlike previous girls he 'acquainted' himself with.

Anne watched as he seemed to struggle with himself, she herself struggled to think why he looked so familiar, the face, the hair, the accent. In the meantime, Malice was glowering at Hero, demanding answers.

"Who the hell are you and why you following us?! Are you an assassin?!"

"I-I uh you are mistaken, I just harmless Fire lord!"

Fire lord, that rang a bell. Then it suddenly clicked.

"Hero! I remember you know!" Anne said triumphantly and unfortunately a little too loud as both Malice and Hero stared at her like a lunatic.

"You know this guy?!" Malice asked, now it was her turn to rack her brain.

"Um…Not really but uh…."

"Oh señorita, I am flattered that you know of me!" Hero smiled with glee and before either Malice or Anne could react, he embraced them in a hug, or rather Anne while Malice got squashed.

"C…Ca…Can't…"

"What you say señorita?"

"Can't…..Breath!!" Anne gasped as Malice muffled and squirmed between the two, she forgot how powerful she intended him to be.

"Oh, I sorry!" Hero immediately let go, the two gasped for air.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, you big freak?!" Malice spat, Anne tapped him on the head to scold him then smiled at Hero.

"Don't mind him, he's is always like that."

"Ah no problemo señorita, I would be mean too if I was ugly green fluff ball."

"THAT'S IT MOTHERFUCKER YOU'RE DEAD!!!" Malice hissed and struggled in an attempt to get out of Anne's grasp, unfortunately for him, his efforts were in vain. Hero pouted in offence.

"I have you know little green rabbit that I am Fire lord Hero Fuego, not as you say 'motherfucker', although there was this one time when I-"

"Uh this is Malice, and you already seem to know my name." Anne cut in, not wishing to hear his sexual experience with such inconsideration to others.

"Ah sí, very nice to meet you both." He gave a slight bow.

"You are heading to castle sí? I be happy to take you there." He offered, Anne was about to reply but was cut off by Malice's infuriated ranting.

"We don't need your help! I'M leading her to the castle!!" Hero smirked and flicked back his hair

"Ah, but do you know of shortcut?"

"There's a shortcut?" Anne's eyes lit up in hope. "Can you show us please?"

"Of course señorita, I'll show you way now." He gestured in a gentlemanly manner. Malice dug his claws into her before she had the chance to take a step.

"Ow, stop doing that!"

"What the hell are you doing?! You're not seriously gonna trust this guy are you?!" He hissed lowly at her, although Hero could hear he turned his back to leave them with their privacy.

"Why not? He says he knows a shortcut." Malice glowered in disbelief.

"What the fuck are you stupid?! Who do you know he's not lying?!"

"I just know and besides, I need to get there as soon as possible." He was her creation so the idea of him deceiving them seemed impossible. Of course both she and Malice were oblivious to Hero's acquaintance with Jareth.

"Psh, fine!" He mumbled in defeat, not much a rabbit could do anyway. Anne smiled in triumph strolled over to Hero who in return smiled in his own triumph. So onwards they strolled down the forest path, with Hero complimenting Anne every now and then to keep her trust with him sweet, and some failed attempts with Malice who either way looked as if he wasn't about to put anything let alone trust within this guy.

From the amount of time that passed, Hero found the young girl to be somewhat shy yet pleasant, unlike women he didn't care to name or number that he had courted, it led him to wonder why she so desperately needed to get to the castle where the seemingly dark and arrogant Goblin king resided, he wondered even more with what he intended to do with her when she got there, or rather if she did get there. Slight guilt overwhelmed him, seemed a shame to deceive such a sweet girl such as her that saw him as a friend rather then sexual pleasure, or a lowly deceiving bastard for that matter.

"Put me down Anne I have to go!" They halted at the demand of the grumpy critter, although Anne wasn't quite sure why.

"Go where?"

"Dammit woman I have to pee!" He snapped, the fur on his cheeks darkening red.

"Oh, sorry." She knelt down and let him hop off into some bushes, she noticed he still had a slight limp but it wasn't as bad as before. Hero cleared his throat, feeling that this was a good time to query her.

"Señorita Anne, if you no mind me asking, why you need to go to castle?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story." She answered while standing up again. "I wished myself away to the goblins, I didn't think it would actually work but now I have to reach Jareth's castle within thirteen hours."

"Oh, and if you don't?"

"Hm, he'll probably turn me into a goblin or something." She replied in an unconcerned tone. "Not that it would matter." She added in a mutter. Hero raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding what she meant but felt it was best not to ask.

"But, why you wish yourself away?" Anne looked to the ground cheerlessly, fiddling with a stone.

"I felt sad."

He watched her kick the stone, looking back at her crest fallen face wrenched his heart a little, as much as he felt the need to ask why he refrained from doing so, he already pried enough already.

"But you know what?" She looked back up with such a soft smile.

"After meeting you and Malice, I don't feel so sad."

It was his turn to feel crest fallen, she was his first and only friend but was going to lose that friendship if he defied Jareth, he was torn between two options that would end bad no matter what he chose.

"Hero?" His look of distress was clear to her, even when he put on a fake smile.

"I just uh, I go pee too!" He bolted off into the trees, far enough so he wouldn't be heard. He leant against a tree, listening to his own heartbeat that pummelled like a rabbit.

"Ay, ay, ay what I do?" he pondered miserably whether to betray a friend or look out for his own wellbeing.

"Having second thoughts?" He jumped back in terror to find Jareth leaning against a nearby tree with a fiendish smile.

"Ah uh, Rey Jareth I was uh-"

"Now correct me if I'm wrong but I do believe you were considering defying me."

"W-who me? No, no, no señor, why would I do that after your warning?" He nervously smiled at him. Jareth pushed himself off the trunk, smirk still plastered on his lips.

"Of course, how stupid of me to think that."

"S-sí señor! W-well I should go ba-" As soon as he turned to leave, Jareth appeared right In front of him, he froze in fear.

"Well before you head back to little miss moody, there's something I want you to do." He conjured a crystal and an image of a split path then a water spring appeared.

"Soon you'll come to an intersection. You are to lead her to the left path. You'll then come across a spring, make sure she drinks from it."

"Why?" Jareth lowered his crystal and glowered.

"That is for me to know." He said lowly then smirked. Hero swallowed in fear, not for himself but Anne's sake.

"If you hurt her..."

"You'll what?" His eyes narrowed, his glare was like broken glass to Hero, he felt his heart pummel in his chest again.

"Well?" Jareth demanded, he lowered his head in shame.

"…Nothing…"

"That's what I thought." The king smirked again. "Remember, left path, don't fail."

"Sí señor…" He muttered, Jareth moved aside to let him walk past, but before he let him do so he grabbed his shoulder.

"Oh and one more thing, if you breathe a word of this to her you'll suffer a fate far worse then the bog, understand?" Hero nodded sadly, Jareth removed his hand and let him walk away and laughed as he did so then vanished.

"What the hell took you so long?!" Malice asked when Hero returned, by then he put on a fake smile to avoid suspicion.

"Never ask a gentleman of such things when nature calls." He wagged is finger at the rabbit who as usual scowled.

"Whatever, lets just go." He mumbled, Anne of course was carrying him as they strolled along, oblivious to their gloomy companion, who struggled to find where his loyalty lies and just as Jareth predicted, there was a fork road.

"Which way do we go Hero?" Anne asked. Malice remained slumped in her arms, pawing at his gold hoop and not giving a damn. Hero's heart skipped.

"Uh, w-we go…um…"

"Come on we ain't got all day!" Malice shouted, making him even more anxious, in the end he sighed.

"…We go left." He replied, masking his sorrow.

"Psh, I think we should have gone right." Malice mumbled as they continued their journey.

"Oh shut up, Hero knows what he's doing." Indeed he did, and he was sure it was something she wouldn't like. Not long after, the narrow path led to a clearing with to Hero's horror, a running spring. But alas, for his sake it had to be done.

"Uh we've travelled long way, why not drink from spring over there señorita?"

"Is it safe to drink from?" She asked with unease as thoughts of bugs and parasites came to mind.

"Sí, it safe to drink from if there running water so no worries sí?"

"Well, we have come a long way."

"Good, put me down!" even though he asked he hopped down anyway, Hero's eyes widened in horror as he watched him hop towards the spring.

"W-what you doing?!" He said in a shaky voice, Malice looked back and scowled.

"What does it look like? I'm getting a drink.

"But you can't!"

"Why the hell not?!" His own throat dried up, only Anne was supposed to drink from the spring, he dreaded to think of the consequences if Malice took the first drink.

"Idiot." Malice mumbled and hopped towards the spring. With little time and little thought Hero did what he could only think of: Running up and kicking Malice, the little rabbit stumbled and rolled a few times before pushing himself back up and glaring at his attacker.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT ASSHOLE!!" The furious rabbit dashed at him and sunk his teeth into his leg, Hero shrieked and kicked his leg to shake him off, when he succeeded the rabbit continued to dash at him, and so he did what any other person would do when being chased by an angry green rabbit; run fast as hell.

Anne was confused about Hero's sudden outburst but merely shrugged and made her way over to the spring. She saw how pure and clean the water was as she saw her rippling reflection, the sound of the fresh water pouring into the pool seemed quite peaceful and serene, why Hero wouldn't allow Malice to drink she didn't know, and truthfully didn't care as she felt the dryness of her throat as she swallowed. She cupped her hands into the water and gently lifted them to her lips, instantly she felt something overwhelm her. Her hands dropped to their sides, holding her in place to avoid falling into the spring. The taste she savoured on her tongue, it wasn't water at all but tasted familiar. It tasted like peach.

As she tried to stand she felt her body sway and vision become blurry, so much that couldn't properly make out Malice or Hero as they continued to chase each other around, unaware of Anne's condition. She tried to call out to them but all she could manage was a gasp, she felt as if she was about to faint, she stumbled into another part of the forest that surrounded them and the spring, with each passing step her palm pressed onto a tree to maintain her balance but the tainted water was too overwhelming. She staggered and fell to her knees. Her vision was merely a haze but her hearing wasn't affected, she could hear music. She lifted her head to locate the sound, but doing so only made her fall back, sprawled helplessly, but it didn't seem to matter, her senses were completely devoured by the wondrous sound. It stated off like a music box melody, but then it developed into something more glorious that would make you want to move and sway to it. Through her hazy vision she noticed something out of contrast, a crystal. No, it was a bubble. It was quite faint but within the bubble she could see dancers, moving elegantly as she herself would dream of doing, and probably could for she now found herself amongst the dancers, still engrossed by the music. Her vision was clear her mind was still hazy, but even still she knew where she was, she recognised this clichéd scene.

She was at the masquerade.


	8. In which Anne sways to lies: LEMONY

Glad people actually like to read this...

WARNING: Gets a little lemony between Jareth and Anne O-o

Unfortuanetly I don't own Labyrinth, if I did there would be angry green rabbits

****

**Chapter 8: In which Anne sways to lies**

Anne watched the dancers in awe, swaying with elegance, just like in the movie.

As much as she was intent of the marvellous scene she was disheartened about not foreseeing this, but now it seemed so obvious. Hero's sudden appearance, his knowledge of the castle and persistence of escorting them and the spring, was their friendship a lie also? As much as she blamed him she was more disappointed with herself for being so naïve and trusting, as usual it was all down to her.

She sighed, not much she could do now, so she slowly wandered through the dancers. The room was the exact replica of Sarah's dream, from the worn threadbare silk that hung from the walls to wax dripped chandeliers, the dream where Sarah would have discovered her romance if she stayed, something which Anne also envied. She shivered, having the feeling of being watched, and she was. Woman glimpsed at her with smirks as they danced passed and men stared with relish. Anne felt anxious as well as perplexed. She couldn't understand why they were looking at her of all people until she saw herself in the tall mirror.

She was glad to see that she wasn't wearing the puffy sleeved dress that Sarah Williams had worn. It always reminded her of a fairytale Barbie she used to keep as a child.

Needless to say Anne's gown was quite unusual, it a very light and soft pink that shimmered like moonlight. The silky material was draped over her delicate shoulders and the skirt was flared like a trumpet, almost touching the floor. She wore a silver chain necklace that held a clear pink crystal in the middle and silver drop earrings that shone like starlight. What amazed her more was that even her short hair looked wonderful. Silk ribbons were weaved through her hair like a headband and draped behind her. Little crystals were encrusted to the side of her silk headband, shining like sunlight. She truly did look beautiful, especially though the eyes of a certain king….

_There's such a sad love_

_Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel_

_Opened and closed within your eyes_

_I'll place the sky within your eyes _

She saw his image in the mirror, she turned around to see him, watching her though the crowded room.

He looked handsome as ever, wearing the same midnight blue frock coat, diamanté, ruffled grey silk, black tights and boots. Just as he did for 'her'…

_There's such a fooled heart_

_Beating so fast in search of new dreams_

_A love that will last within your heart_

_I'll place the moon within your heart_

Anne yearned to run into his arms, to kiss him, but turned ran through the crowd instead.

After all he did, after all he's done she just couldn't be near him, she hurried past the dancers as men hissed and grasped at her, beckoning her to dance with them. She ignored them and turned her head. She stopped when she realised Jareth wasn't there. She moved away from the dancers and leaned against a column…

_As the pain sweeps through_

_Makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gonst_

_Wasn't too much fun at all_

_But I'll be therefore you-oo-oo_

_As the world falls down_

_Falling…_

_Falling down…_

_Falling in love_

Her heart wrenched. How many came to the Labyrinth before Sarah? How many times did he fulfil their fantasies as he did with Sarah, and now her? And how many fell for him?

"_Doesn't he understand? Doesn't he understand the pain he's causing me?!"_ She cried inside. She wanted to scream at him, tell him she hated him. She wanted to open up that emotional bottle and let it all out, anything to make this feeling go away.

But she couldn't.

"Anne."

She turned her head to see him, staring at her with eyes darkening from an emotion she didn't understand…

_I'll paint you mornings of gold_

_I'll spin you valentine evenings_

_Though we're strangers till now_

_We've choosing the path between the stars_

_I'll leave my love between the stars_

She stood there, waiting for him to speak, he didn't. Instead he reached out his hand to her and with slight hesitation, she took it.

She didn't understand why but for some reason, everything she felt, all that pain, all that yearning seemed to melt away as she spun with Jareth across the ballroom. To be so close to him was thrilling and surprisingly dancing with him was even more wonderful, even though waltzing was something she was never good at.

"You look beautiful Anne." He said softly, she looked up to see him smiling at her, making her blush and look away. No one ever looked at her that way.

"You're just saying that."

"Anne, you **are** beautiful, as you always have been."

She looked back up at him, still smiling. She realised for once he wasn't mocking her. She couldn't help but smile as well as they continued to waltz, time didn't seem important to her now, neither did anything else, just Jareth.

"You never did tell me what you thought of my Labyrinth." He said after a while, her eyes darted away for a second, wondering what to say without insulting him.

"Truthfully, it's really confusing. Nothing makes sense at all and just when things seem to go smoothly, something bad happens." She was glad to hear him fondly laugh a little.

"But, amongst all that, it feels like…"

"Like you belong here?"

"…Yes." She smiled and nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that." His voice almost husky, his face moving close to hers…

_As the pain sweeps through_

_Makes no sense for you_

_Every thrill has gonst_

_Wasn't too much fun at all_

_But I'll be there for you-oo-oo_

_As the world falls down_

_Falling_

_Falling down_

_Falling in love_

She was a little shocked but knew what was to come next. She obediently closed her eyes, waiting for the thrill of her first kiss, as she always dreamed.

It then hit her.

This was a dream, nothing more but a fantasy of a lonely girl, her fantasy. He didn't love her at all, how could he?

She pushed him away. He was merely a playing out the charming prince for this fairy tale. He stumbled back and stared at her in bewilderment. Looking at him she felt pain sweep through her heart. She turned and ran, pushing her way through the dancers, grabbing at her.

"_Why is he doing this? Why is he pretending to care?"_ She felt her eyes prickle with tears. Jareth stood in the same spot, watching her run, but she wouldn't escape, not until he says so…

_Makes no sense at all_

_Makes no sense to fall_

_Falling_

She reached the bubble like membrane of the ballroom. She picked up a small chair and lifted it over her head and hurled it. Instead of breaking like she expected it to, the chair went right through the bubble as did she, screaming as she fell into the dark oblivion.

_As the world falls down…_

When she next opened her eyes she found herself in a different place, a place with a very cold floor!

She picked herself up, she was still wearing her ball gown, still shimmering even in the dark dank place she was now in, she saw the small chair not far from her, toppled on its side, unbroken.

More to her interest was a corridor and hopefully a way out. With a sigh and quiver, she walked down the dim corridor. Seeing how dank and dirty the place was it made her wonder why Jareth brought her here, then again he was proberly pissed at her for running off and now she must spend the rest of her life strolling down a horrid dark corridor, the thought made her heart skip a beat. But surely he wouldn't want her dead, would he?

She turned the corner to find the corridor coming to an end, except for a large double door. As she walked closer it was even bigger, three times the size of her in fact. So with no other choice and no knowledge where it led she placed both hands on the doors and pushed with all her might. It actually wasn't that hard to open she found out as the doors swung open, causing her to topple and fall flat on her face.

She swore under her breath as she sat up, rubbing her sore nose. As she did she observed the room she was in, quite surprisingly it was elegant and sanitary compared to the corridor. She found the room to be quite bare except for a large bed with a royal looking drape and on the other a wardrobe, a vanity chest and a fireplace, also large. She walked over to the large open window. If she couldn't escape she could at least see where she was. She gasped, discovering how high up she was. The place she was in was overlooking quite a grotesque looking city, and beyond that was a junk yard.

She froze. If that was the junk yard, then the city was the Goblin city, and if this was the castle then that meant this room belonged to…

"Oh shit!" She mumbled. Realising this was **Jareth's** room. She dreaded to think what would happen if he found her here, or more to the question what he would do to her. For now her only concern was how to get out, she turned to dash for the door, but didn't even manage a single step, someone was in her way, someone with a devious smirk.

"Hello Anne, enjoy the view?" Jareth spoke with a pleasant yet eerie tone. Anne backed up against the cold wall, heart pummelling in her chest, trapped like a helpless mouse. Her eyes darted towards the door, hoping if she could run past him…

"That won't do young lady." He said as if reading her mind. "I've sealed the door, and unless you plan on jumping out that window, I'm afraid you're trapped." He smirked and took a step forward. As he did Anne darted to the open window and climbed on the ledge.

"Stop or I'll jump!!" She didn't really consider doing so, but it would proberly be a whole lot better then whatever he was planning to do with her.

He stopped, unfazed by her actions.

"Anne, be reasonable and get down."

"No bloody chance mate! Take one more step and I'm jumping!" He smirked and took a step forward, her face burned red from embarrassment.

"…Fine, if you take the next I'll jump! I really will!" He took another step forward, she swallowed.

"I-I really will!" This carried on till he was a foot away from her. He stood there, arms crossed with a very amused look on his face.

"Thought you were going to jump." Anne blushed, the threat obviously wasn't working but, needless to say, she was a stubborn mule.

"I-I will if you come closer!" Jareth sighed, even he was getting bored.

"For goodness sake Anne, get down. I'm not going to harm you if that's what you're thinking."

She glared at him suspiciously. She didn't notice how close to the edge she was.

"Yeah right, how do I know you're not-" She gasped as she stumbled back and screamed, she squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her feet leave the ledge, as she fell she thought of her parents and friends mourning over her death, police searching for her body, oblivious that their darling Anne was in the Underground, dead, on the soft, comfy, warm ground.

She opened her eyes, grounds weren't supposed to be soft and comfy. She found herself staring up at the ceiling. She sat up, finding herself on Jareth's bed, who was standing by with a very amused smirk. Anne blushed furiously and stood up.

"You bloody bastard! You could have told me I wasn't dead!"

His smirk disappeared, replaced with a serious glare. She looked back with fear, realising she went too far.

"Why did you run from me?" He asked, or rather demanded. She opened her mouth to speak and nothing came out, she couldn't open her bottle. She was too scared.

"I don't know, I…" She paused. He waited for her to answer. She looked up at him.

"Why did you do all this? Why did you do this for me?"

He stared at her, annoyed that she wouldn't answer his question, but could see that the confusion in her eyes were clear, and being the gentleman he considered himself, he was willing to answer.

"Because Anne, they're your dreams, it's what you desire." He said softly, like hot melting honey. Anne started to feel withdrawn again and stared at the floor.

"But, why me?"

She gasped as she felt a gloved hand touch her chin and lift her head up.

"You may not think this, but we're more alike then you think." Her brow furrowed, how could someone as plain and withdrawn as her be similar to a powerful and sexy king?

"I'll explain." He said with a smirk, he removed his hand from her chin.

"First off, we do whatever we can for those we wish to please, within reason of course." He removed his gloves as he explained something she never saw him do.

"For example, I wish to please those who take on the trial of my Labyrinth by offering their dreams, and you wish to please your family and friends, like that rabbit."

She had to agree, though they bicker she is a bit of a pushover with Malice, he had helped her out after all, she wondered if he knew she was gone…

"I must say, you can be quite obedient." She froze when he felt her touch her chin again, his hands were quite soft, and warm.

"Secondly, we feel we are out of place in our own society. You are unique compared to others around you, you think and feel different."

She would have nodded, only to find Jareth taking the silk ribbon off her head and placing it on the bed.

"As for me, I live in a domain amongst goblins, and I don't exactly share their traits." He ran his fingers through her hair to smooth it out it found to be quite soft, oblivious to the feeling he was giving her, where was this leading? She wondered.

"I could say much more, but there is one thing that we can both ease." He was inches from her. She stared up at him, his eyes darkened again with the emotion that left her perplexed.

"W-what?"

"Loneliness." He murmured. She let out a sharp gasp as she felt his hot tongue on the nape of her neck, his bare hand snaking down to her waist while the other found its place on her cheek. She froze within his touch, she didn't know whether to push him away like before or submit to her pleasure. His tongue travelled up her throat, making her knees buckle. He urged her to fall back, leaning his body against her. Clouded by arousal, she fell back onto his bed, only to have him climb on top of her and finding his way to her lips. She did what she should and closed her eyes. Experiencing her first kiss, was like a rush of liquid fire throughout her insides, if this is what kissing felt like, then sex was bound to be mind blowing. Her eyes snapped open and she blushed, knowing for sure where this would lead, Being a virgin, she wondered whether to stop or not. Jareth on the other hand was too engrossed with his task, forcing his tongue past her lips. She opened her mouth obediently, letting his tongue slide and meld with hers. He noticed she was quite an inexperienced kisser but didn't mind, the thought of introducing sexual pleasure to her sent a thrill through his loins. The hand he had on her waist trailed up her torso, to place firmly on her breast. She let out a muffled gasp as he gently squeezed, he smirked within their kiss and tugged down the shimmering silk from her shoulders, loosening her gown to reveal her bare chest, only for his to squeeze again. Without meaning to she moaned from having the feeling of his gloveless hand on her tender breast, she knew it would encourage him more, and it did. He growled with arousal, sending shivers through her. She damned him for being fully clothed, yearning to run her hands against his bare skin, which she had kept by her sides since their activity began.

She nervously placed them on the back on Jareth's neck. Relieved that he didn't seem to mind, she dragged them up to run them through his hair, the sudden movement made Jareth buck, she felt something dig into her thigh and blushed, realising it was his arousal. Still connected to their kiss, his free hand reached down to her skirt, pulling it up, making her whimper as he ran his fingers up her thigh, gently stroking her moist panties.

A wave of pleasure washed over her as Jareth stroked her delicate sex, making her whimper loudly. Jareth broke from their kiss, only to move down to her soft chest. Anne closed her eyes, mind hazed with ecstasy. Never would she have dreamed that this would happen.

Yes, dreamed…

Her eyes snapped open. What was she doing?! She was supposed to be completing the Labyrinth, as far as she was concerned, Jareth was her enemy but was making her forget that by giving her what she desired. Do what I can to please by offering their desires, just as he said. This wasn't love at all, just a game to him, nothing more.

"Stop it." She croaked within the pleasure forced on her, Jareth's tongue snaked across her breast.

"Pardon?" He murmured.

"STOP IT!" She squeezed her eyes shut as she screamed, heart pounding in her chest. She slowly opened her eyes to find herself in her own clothes and Jareth gone, she wasn't even at the castle anymore. she had no clue where she was. She sat up to find herself in a grassy area, but instead of luscious flowers, she was surrounded by mirrors. Giant broken shards of mirror. She looked around, no openings in sight, she began to panic.

"Where am I?!" She said out loud. Not expecting anyone to answer.

"Welcome to the Mirror meadow."

She gasped and turned.


	9. In which feelings fall

**Labyrinth: Forever my love**

Nah Sorry this took so long"

Again I used an online translater for Hero, I sure you noticed that the grammer is bad when he speaks but thats what I intended cus hes foreign, and cus hes stupid

((Not saying that foreign people can't speak good english if that offened anyone, thats just how my character is))

**Chapter 9: In which feelings fall**

"Your majesty."

The youthful woman blinked, submerging from her deep thought. Since the girl's arrival she kept slipping into an apprehensive state, a large majority hoping for the best of the human while a natural pang of selfishness hoped for her failing. Except for her loyal warrior, her fear of the outcome was oblivious to others.

"Your majesty." The voice repeated. Kitara turned to face Louari. Despite the firmness of her voice she was in a patient stance, the queen stepped from her window, sensing the reason of her arrival to be grim.

"Louari, what is of Anne?"

"She has been misled by a man unknown who claimed to know the way to the goblin city, possibly an accomplice of Jareth." She replied. The queen nodded, taking it all in.

"I should have known. How like Jareth to use distasteful tricks."

"Indeed your majesty. She drank from the enchanted spring."

Kitara sighed, knowing that she was compelled into Jareth's spell, able to manipulate her very fantasies.

"However she did escape from the enchantment, but…" Her eye contact with her queen broke as she paused. Kitara however looked on like a hawk in patience.

"…She's in the Mirror meadow." She maintained eye contact with proper intensity, but it wasn't long when Kitara looked down to the marble floor.

"The Mirror meadow…" She repeated. Her eyelids softly closed, as if morning over a loved one.

"The poor girl." She stepped back to the window, looking down at her domain.

"She must have angered him greatly to do something as cruel as this."

"Yes, to be trapped within your own self loathing or narcissism till driven to insanity then death. Such a terrible fate." Louari murmured, sharing the sympathy with her queen for Anne. From what she knew, Anne didn't seem to be the narcissistic type, so her situation would be a lot worse. The little bit of her selfishness was replaced with sympathy for her.

"Summon Sorceress Howell." She then said, surprising Louari with her sudden demand.

"Your majesty, you're not thinking of interfering are you?"

"Yes I am." Once again she turned from the window, seeing the shock on Louari's face, clear as day.

"But your majesty, the Goblin king-"

"That coward does not frighten me!" She said sternly, her blue eyes gleaming with the sudden fury. With nothing else she could do or say, she bowed.

"Yes, right away your majesty." She saluted before leaving her queen. Kitara blushed a little for her sudden outburst, knowing that was no way for a queen to behave. She turned back to the calm views to maintain herself, but all the anger was replaced with sorrow. She hoped there would be things that Anne would not need to know, but it seemed that that little bit of hope would be extinguished.

"You poor girl…"

No one was there.

Anne searched desperately around her surroundings, finding the owner of the voice as well as a way out. But all there was were different angles of herself in the many mirrors surrounding her. She looked down at the grass. She could stare for hours at a mirror and find nothing to appreciate about herself.

"Given up?"

She gave a startled gasp and looked up, still no one. She saw something move out of the corner of her eye, well of course she was surrounded by mirrors but she felt something was out of the ordinary.

She looked at one of the mirrors and as expected her image stared back. She waved her hand, the image did the same. But when she turned to the side, her image remained still then smirked at her.

"Took you long enough didn't it?"

"Wh-who are you?!"

"I'm you, you bloody twat!" Her image sneered. She frowned, feeling rather hurt, even if it was herself insulting herself.

"I know that but what are you, and where am I?!" Mirror Anne gave a mocking laugh as if she asked the world's most stupid question.

"Listen would you? As I said this is the mirror meadow. Fuck sake you should know, you created it!" Anne tried to think back. It must have been a long time ago but it did ring a bell.

"Oh I remember now, all these mirrors are enchanted."

"That's right genius!" Her sarcasm followed as she danced and twirled throughout all the mirrors with Anne continuingly turning on the spot to follow.

"Hundreds and hundreds of mirrors all around you, with no way out!" She giggled. Anne on the other hand was panic stricken.

"But why did Jareth send me here?!"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mirror Anne stopped twirling and leered at her.

"You pissed him off big time. He's just getting back at you for being such a stupid bitch!" Anne glared, feeling her eyes water.

"H-he tried to rape me!" She said in her defence but her image shrieked with mocking laughter.

"You were practically throwing yourself at him! You wanted it as bad as he did!" She sneered then added "You love him!"

"No I don't! I hate him!" She turned away only to find her image leering at her.

"Liar! You're in love with him!"

"How would you know?!" She snapped. Her image pressed her hands up against the glass as if it were a window.

"Because **I** hate Jareth!" She hissed with a smirk. Anne didn't know whether she was trying to mess with her head or speaking the truth, implying that their emotions were opposite. She turned away with embarrassment and her mirror self let out a shrill laugh.

"I knew it! You love him and more then anything you wanted to FUCK him!" She emphasized the curse word. "But you turned him down because you know he doesn't love you back."

"What would you know?!" She blurted out, making mirror Anne laugh again.

"Don't set your standards so high! You think that he would love a pathetic thing like you when he could have any woman he wanted?!" She sneered. Anne looked to the ground as she tormented her, holding back the tears.

"In fact, why would anyone love you? Who would love a freak, an outcast-"

"Shut up."

"-A weirdo, an invalid, a stupid-"

"Shut up!"

"-ugly, frumpy whore like you!"

"SHUT UP!" She screamed and abruptly kicked the mirror that mirror Anne was in, it shattered and shards flew out, a huge piece cutting her hand. And then there was silence.

She looked around at the other mirrors. The images mimicked her movements as mirrors should, no sneering, no mocking, complete utter silence.

She fell to her knees, not able to hold it in any longer she sobbed from the pain. No not the physical pain of her bleeding hand but the emotional pain in her heart.

It wasn't so much that the insults upset her, she already had low self esteem, but about Jareth.

"_Liar! You're in love with him!" "You know he doesn't love you back."_

It echoed in her mind, what hurt her most was that knowing it was probably true. The more she thought about it the more her heart ache, making her confused. She held herself and continued to cry. She felt dirty and violated, the feeling of his hot breath lingered on her skin, the way he touched her, almost manipulating her and yet, she yearned for that touch again and to feel wanted, even if it was for the wrong reasons.

She silently sobbed, wishing her friends were here, someone to comfort her…

"Are you alright Anne?"

She slowly looked up, too overwhelmed by grief to be surprised, even by the appearance of a beautiful woman with flowing white hair hued with lilac and a just as gorgeous mermaid style dress, also purple. Anne stared at her, drinking in her lovely image. The woman smiled and gestured her forward.

"It's alright." Anne got up and slowly made her way over to the mirror, feeling a little embarrassed about her appearance compared to the lovely being now in front of her.

"You poor thing." She cooed, searching though the pockets in her gown and pulled out a lilac handkerchief, Anne gasped as her hand extended out from the mirror to her, making the glass ripple like water.

"Dry your eyes with this, and don't worry about getting it dirty." She said softly. Anne hesitated before accepting the handkerchief. She sniffed and whipped her puffy red eyes then dabbed her nose.

"Thank you." She murmured. Kitara smiled then looked down at her bleeding hand, the ruby coloured drops fell to the grass.

"Let me look at that." The young queen said, gently taking her hand. Anne noticed how soft her hand was, giving her the sudden urge to ask what moisturiser she uses. Kitara lightly kissed her hand, making Anne feel kind of awkward until she saw that the deep gash was gone.

"Kisses always make it better, don't you think Anne?" She smiled with motherly warmth. Anne on the other hand was flabbergast.

"How-how do you know my name?"

"I know a lot about you Anne." She began to feel awkward again.

"How?"

"All in good time dear." She smiled softly.

"Can I at least know your name?" The woman frowned and shook her head.

"I can't, I'm sorry."

"That's alright." She replied, although she was getting a little annoyed at her lack of answers.

"Can you at least tell me why you're here?" To her relief she answered

"Why yes, I'm here to show you a way out."

"Really, how? There are no doors or openings, nothing." She sighed but the woman opposite her still smiled.

"Turn around."

Anne raised an eyebrow but did so anyway to find the mirror she had smashed was now an opening, leading out of the mirror nightmare. She turned to thank the woman, only to find her reflection. She looked at all the other mirrors, still no sign of her beautiful saviour.

"Thank you." She whispered with a smile before making her way out of the meadow.

She was surprised to see that she wasn't far from the forest she was in before, and neither was she far from the goblin city, and Jareth.

Enough tears were shed but the idea of facing him again made her feel rather uncomfortable, after all he was bound to be mad after she stopped him halfway through you know what. She snorted and put it to the back of her mind. Men were men, even in the Underground.

"Anne?! ANNE!"

She lifted her head to see Malice and Hero bounding towards her. She wasn't sure about Hero but she was defiantly glad to see Malice, even if he was an evil looking grump. Malice stopped at her feet, catching his breath. She looked down at his bandaged leg, wondering if it hurt from all that sprinting. He looked up at her and glared as if it was all he could do.

"Where in the hell were you, you damn idiot?! You have any idea ho-Hey!" Anne picked him and kissed his fuzzy green cheek before hugging him, leaving him bewildered and his cheeks flushed.

"W-what the hell Anne?!"

"I'm so glad you found me. I thought I wouldn't see you again." She murmured. Malice stared up at her in confusion, relaxing in her arms.

"Yeah well uh…glad you're ok meat sack." He gave her an awkward smile which turned into a scowl when he heard Hero approach.

"Didn't I tell you to get lost?!" He jumped down and spat. Hero paid no attention as he was staring at Anne with a sorry look.

"I so sorry I lie to you señorita, I led you wrong way and the spring you drank from was enchanted."

"Yeah I pretty much figured that out myself." She frowned. She was peeved at his betrayal but strangely enough, not as much as Malice.

"We don't need you so why don't you go back to wherever you came from?!"

"I can't. I got no place to go." He murmured. Anne felt her face, and heart soften.

"I have no family, no person can stand me but you señorita, you first friend I have." He got down on his knees and bowed his head, surprising Anne and disgusting Malice.

"But Señor Jareth told me to lead you away from castle or he will drop me in bog or worse. Very selfish of me sí, but I tell truth when I say I feel terrible for betraying kind friend, even mean green conejo. I so sorry."

Anne looked at him, moved by his sincerity. Truthfully she couldn't blame him as Jareth could be a frightening man. She walked over and lowered to his level, only to kiss his cheek.

"I forgive you Hero." She said softly, his head snapped up, showing his slightly blushed face.

"Realmente?"

"You're gonna forgive him just like that, even after what he did?!" Malice cried in disbelief.

"Yes I am. Everyone deserves a second chance." She simply said. He opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again.

"Fine." He mumbled, Anne sighed and picked him up.

"Oh cheer up."

"Me?! Look who's talking you moody bit-ACK!" They were both seized by Hero to be embraced by his crushing yet affectionate hugs.

"Agradezca La Calidad I am forgiven! I so happy now!" He cried out happily then released them before they could choke to death. Not being too bright, the question of why they were gasping for air never occurred to him.

"And now friends again, I lead you **right** way to castle." He put a hand to his chest to proudly give his honour.

"Oh no you don't! **I'm** leading her to the castle!" Malice hissed.

"I have been to castle so I know way so **I** should lead way Señor conejo gruñón." He replied coolly.

"What the hell did you just call me?!? I've been leading Anne from the start and we did fine till you came along!!"

"Hm, hm, El pequeño conejo está consiguiendo celoso." Hero scoffed, Malice's face darkened from confusion rather then rage.

"QUIT IT!!"

They continued while strolling down the narrow path, even through the thick of arguing, Anne was happy to have them with her till the very end.

So they would be there for her when she'll cry…

Goblins tore from the throne room as Jareth roared. Since his return from Anne's 'dream' he stormed about the castle, threw crystal balls and kicked any unsuspecting goblins that came across his path. He was now throwing multiple crystals against the wall, hissing with rage.

Sexual tension could do a lot to man.

He threw another crystal and watched it shatter. He glared at the remains as if he had just found something from the bottom of his boot, or a goblin. Either way it annoyed him.

He remained on the spot in silence. Obviously he was angry about Anne's rejection, it wasn't as if it was the first time, twenty one years reminded him that. But Anne seemed so easy to manipulate, so easy to charm, the present now proved he was wrong.

He roared again and threw another crystal with great force.

"WHY ARE WOMEN SO FUCKING FICKLE?!"

He offered her the moon and stars, he offered her very dreams ands most importantly, he offered to fill her empty void and yet she rejected it all. How dare she reject his generosity?

A goblin soldier forced himself into the throne room, where the tension was very thick, enough to slice, dice and serve with rice. He gulped, even the back of his king brought fear.

"Y-your highness-"

"WHAT NOW?!" He snapped around and glared at the piece of filth that was supposedly a solider.

"I-i-it's the g-girl your h-highness!" Jareth's eyes darkened at the mention of Anne.

"What of her?!"

"She-she….s-she-"

"SPIT IT OUT!!"

"S-she's escaped from the Mirror meadow your highness!!" The goblin stammered. The blonde haired man before him stiffened.

"Impossible! Are you sure?!"

"Yes and she's on her way here with the warlock and a green rabbit!"

He should have known the fool would betray him, just like Hoggle. But what he couldn't understand was how she escaped from the Mirror meadow. She had no way of escaping unless he decided to release her, which he was going to do till her time ran out. Who would dare interfere with the Goblin king? It then came to him, the only person brave enough in the Underground to stand ground against him. The queen of Rasgones. Kitara.

"That bitch…" He hissed. The goblin was still standing there, reluctantly awaiting his command.

"Why are you still here?! Call out the guards she must be stopped!!

"Y-yes your highness!!" The Goblin fled out the room. Jareth remained on the spot, taking in the situation, Just like years ago. He would not let it happen again.

He looked to the throne. Anne's folder still remained there perched on the seat like a shrine.

"She will be mine." He murmured. He walked to towards the window, overlooking his Goblins ready for battle, even if only against a girl, an idiot and a rabbit, he clenched his hands on the ledge.

"She will be mine.


	10. In which Hero reveals

I do not own Labyrinth, If i did, there would be a bog of cookies!

**Chapter 10: In which Hero reveals**

Lush green fading into the grotesque grey landscape, cracked and ugly as its inhabitants, flowers and trees writhing outside its territory, poisoned by the dull region, sweet bird lullabies replaced by the hoarse caw of crows perched upon the few crooked trees lucky enough to survive, all signs of goblin territory.

"I take it this Jareth guy isn't a people person?" Malice muttered as they stood before the outskirts of their final destination.

"Only when he wants to be." Anne sighed, trudging onto the cracked ground. How odd she found it for a beautiful being such as Jareth to live within such a hideous place, then again his personality wasn't to perfection.

"See, I told you I knew way to castle!" Hero said proudly, picking up from their argument.

"Alright, alright, gold star for the dumb ass, whoopty frickin' doo!" Malice muttered.

"Hpmh, Celoso!"

"Stop doing that!!"

"Bloody pack it in!" She scolded them. It didn't so much as bother her but knowing that it wouldn't be long before she faced Jareth made her nerves twinge.

They both fell silent, feeling the tension around their friend. Hero sucked his bottom lip. A particular question had been stuck in his head for a while, although probably not the most appropriate time, he felt concerned as well as curious.

"Señorita Anne?"

"Hm?" She turned her head.

"When you were gone for long time after drinking from spring, what did Señor Jareth do?"

Malice hopped down before Anne stumbled and turning fifteen shades of red. What a bloody time to ask.

"Uh, n-nothing! Nothing at all!" She told them. But Hero smirked, from her reaction he was sure somethinghad happened and that she consented to it, and only one particular something came to his mind.

"Ho hoo, red cheeks say different señorita."

"Oh Anne, you didn't sleep with that guy did you?!" Malice now caught on.

"N-NO I DIDN'T, NOTHING HAPPENED!!!" But the feeling of his tongue lingered on her neck, and various other places.

"Awwww, little señorita has crush on Rey Jareth." Hero cooed in a tormenting baby voice, Malice joined in.

"I could have told you that, it's why she wants to get to the castle so badly.

"No it's not! I have to get there before time runs out! He says he's gonna make me into a goblin!" She blushed as they tried to contain their laughter.

"I no think so. I think Señor Jareth would prefer to make 'amor caliente del mono'."

"What the hell does that mean?" Malice asked. Hero mumbled in his erect ear and they both snickered. Anne blushed furiously, always the butt of jokes but now she would get her say.

"Well in that case I'm having more luck then you two." They fell silent.

"Damn Anne that was cold, kinda hard when you're a fucking rabbit." Malice pouted.

"Women love me! A LOT of women love me sí!" Hero cried as if his sexuality was just questioned.

With a triumphant smirk, she turned on her heel and continued on while the others followed in a sulk. Even with a slight limp, Malice hopped the rest of the way, refusing to be carried by the 'perverted hands' of you know who even after he graciously offered.

Anne noticed in the distance, the Junkyard, part of Sarah's path in saving her brother. Anne wondered how she felt before her approach to the Goblin city. Scared? Angry? Confused?

If not it was surely how Anne felt, with Jareth being the source of it all.

Soon they found themselves at the grotesque gates of the goblin. Aside from the snoozing guard, she noticed the gate was heavily enveloped with chains, held together with a hideous lock.

"That's REAL hospitality for you." Malice muttered sarcastically.

"Uh oh, that my fault." Hero scratched the back of his head. "First time I come here, I make too big of boom and burnt down door."

"How the hell did you burn down a huge gate you freak?!" Malice said a little too loudly, Anne shushed him.

"I show you." He said. With one hand he firmly held the lock while with the other he placed his index on the side of it. Then to his friend's amazement his finger sparked up like a flame.

"What the hell?! Your finger's on fire!" Malice exclaimed.

"I know." He easily sliced his finger through the lock like butter, the melted metal residue dripped to the floor, leaving scorch marks. As Hero finished cutting through the lock, he gave a sharp cry as the heavy chains fell from the gate onto him.

Still the guard remained asleep

"Thanks Hero, that was amazing!" Anne beamed as she pulled him out from the chains that buried him.

"No problema señorita. Nothing Fire lord Hero Fuego can't do." He boasted, admiring his self given title. Anne sighed, that new bit of admiration was chucked out the window.

"So wait, if you could do that without waking up this bastard" Malice's ear twitched towards the sleeping guard. "Why the hell did you blow up the first gate?!"

Hero considered this for a moment. Anne was sure that she would understand the reason for doing such a thing, until he actually answered.

"I was horny."

Malice and Anne gaped at him, unsure whether it was just his rough grammar and English or that it was what he intentionally meant. Either way they were grossed out.

"O...kay. Well uh we better get going." She said quickly and assisted Hero on opening the gates.

"Sick bastard." Malice mumbled. He looked over at the goblin guard who was still, to their convenience, asleep. An evil grin appeared on Malice's face. He looked around to make sure the others weren't looking then 'marked his territory' on the guard's foot.

"Sweet dreams motherfucker." He whispered before hopping away to follow the others.

To their exasperation, there was another hideous gate blocking their path. Anne's brow furrowed; she was sure they were meant to fight the goblin's robotic warrior Humongous. For a small moment she had hope that getting to the castle from here would be easy.

The gates behind them slammed shut.

Maybe not.

"The fuck?!" Malice queried, his heading snapping in all directions. Soon his ear did the same as he heard a sound not yet audible to Anne and Hero. But it got louder, a chirping followed by hissing in a smooth rhythm.

Chirp. Chirp. Hiss. Hiss.

Anne noticed Hero squeezing her arm.

"Dios mío!..." His whimper was shaky as his grip. Before she could ask what was wrong, something began to materialize on the gate.

It was a giant lizard, its eyes boggled about as it changed its skin colour. But it was no ordinary lizard, its long tail was a vicious looking snake, also changing colour. The lizard's eyes stopped moving, it snapped its head in the direction of Anne and the others, the snake tail did the same, tongue flickering and hissing. Anne held her breath, trying not to make any sudden movements to provoke it. Unfortunately, it was a task Hero couldn't do.

"AY IT'S A GECKO-CONDA!!" He shrieked. The monstrosity leapt down from the gate, chirping and hissing at them. Anne's first instinct was picking up Malice as a feeble attempt to protect him despite her lack of power against a giant crossbreed. She tried to back up against the wall as it approached, only to feel the metal spears that had emerged poking into her back.

"Hee-ya Connie, Hee-ya!" She hadn't noticed it before but on the Gecko-conda's back was a small goblin on a saddle, dressed in armour the same colour as the gate which would explain why she hadn't noticed first off. The goblin sported a leather whip to maintain control over the reptile.

Funny how leather reminded her of Jareth.

"Easy Connie!" The goblin cracked its whip, making the Gecko-conda chirp and hiss loudly, but it obviously knew its master for the snake tail could just as easy swallow him but of course, made no attempt to. She almost forgot about Hero through the midst of her crisis, he was huddled up on the floor against the metal spears, whimpering in his foreign language.

"Are you ok Hero?" She asked while the monster and its tamer were distracted.

"I-I hate lizards! I hate snakes! I hate Gecko-condas!" He whimpered through his knees.

"Hey Fire lord, can't you just bake this bastard?!" Malice asked exasperated.

"No, no no! I scared!" Anne couldn't blame him, she wasn't particular fond of reptiles either, especially this kind.

"Hero…" She placed a hand on his forearm, feeling his whole body quake.

"Hee-ya Connie!" At the command of the goblin, the snake tail lashed out, wrapping itself around Anne's waist. As she screamed, Hero lifted his head to see her dangling in the grasp of the Gecko-conda. The snake hissed and flicked its tongue at Anne, she screamed again.

"Fear not, Connie here won't attack you, unless I say." The goblin added a shrill little laugh.

"Let us down you ugly bastard!!" Malice spat, the snake hissed warningly at him.

"Looks like you'll be having a small treat today Connie" cooed the Goblin. "His Highness wants the girl unharmed, but he never said anything about the other two!" The goblin cackled. The lizard's eyes settled on Hero, who stood petrified.

"Defying the goblin king is a serious crime!" The whip cracked and Gecko-conda approached, Hero broke from his petrified state and ran to the right, only to be cut off by its webbed feet.

"Leave him alone!" Anne yelled, struggling to break free from the snake's grasp which of course was impossible, Malice could doing nothing as he was wedged between Anne's chest and the snake's scaly body. Hero's eyes darted between them and the Gecko-conda.

"Hee-ya!" The goblin cracked his whip, the lizard chirped loudly, lashing its tongue at him, Hero cried and went back into his huddled state and shook violently.

"Stop it you're scaring him!" Anne kicked her feet about and knocked the Goblin on the back of the head.

"Oi that hurts!" The whip cracked and the snake tightened its grip, Anne let out a sharp cry and Malice muffled a lot of cursing. The goblin continued his cackling.

"What a nice treat they'll make for you Connie, an itty bitty green rabbit!" Malice mumbled something that sounded like 'duck you'. The goblin then turned its sights towards Hero.

"And a fairy."

Hero stopped shaking and remained motionless. Anne craned her neck to see if he was alright. He stood up, face down.

"What. Did. You. Call. Me?" He mumbled. The goblin made a baffled face then scratched his head.

"Uhhhhh…Oh that's right, I called you a fairy!"

"No one... I mean NO ONE…" He lifted his head, from what Anne could see he looked quite infuriated.

"NO ONE EVER CALL ME FAIRY!!" He yelled. The goblin's whip suddenly exploded into flames, he cried out and dropped it, right onto the Gecko-conda's eye. Its scream was like a strangled high pitched chirp. The goblin hung on for dear life as the monster bucked and lashed about like a wild bull, including the snake that still held Malice and Anne captive.

"CONNIE STOP!! I SAID STOP-" With an almighty swing the goblin was flung off, right at the feet of an angry fire lord. The goblin spluttered and trembled.

"W-wait a second. I didn't m-mean to call you a f-"

"I AM NO FAIRY!!" He bellowed, pointing at the trembling creature. Then without warning, a wave of fire shot from his emitting arm. The goblin ducked in time, burning only the tip of his helmet. But the remaining wave hit the snake, now adding a hissing scream to the chirping, but it didn't last long. Needless to say, Hero's inferno blast was as powerful as his temper, cutting through the snake's scaly flesh and like a hot knife, destroying its ligaments before descending to the ground, the bloody snake carcass cushioning Anne and Malice's fall.

"C-CONNIE?!" The goblin turned pale at the sight of his beloved Gecko-conda shrieking in pain from its burnt eye and now decapitated tail that lay in a steaming bloody heap. He looked back at the enraged warlock before making a run for it.

"RETREAT CONNIE RETREAT!!" The goblin latched onto the saddle. Despite the pain it was in, the Gecko-conda obeyed and crawled over the wall with haste, leaving behind a bloody trail.

After much effort, Anne freed herself and Malice from the blood-spattered coil.

"Oh my god…" She covered her mouth to stop herself from retching. The snake's eyes glazed over like white smoke, staring into nothingness like a child's toy, except there was nothing innocent or playful about this scene.

"Holy shit." Malice murmured, repulsed as Anne was who to her horror, found that her boots and jeans were soaked in the reptile's blood.

She then remembered Hero and turned from the bloody scene to find him just standing there, staring at the dirty ground as if deep in thought. Clutching Malice, she cautiously made her way over to him. She had to admit that she was frightened of him, an outburst like that from someone like him was, well, unexpected.

"Hero?" His eyes levelled with hers. For a split second he stared at her with great seriousness but then did something else unexpected, he flung himself at Anne and bawled like a baby.

"HE CALL ME FAIRY SEÑORITA ANNE!! I NO FAIRY!!" He wailed, sobbing into her hair while crushing Malice at the same time. She didn't really understand how that was a bad thing but didn't question to avoid encouraging more tears.

"Um, but Hero you saved us and uh…I doubt that a fairy could do what you just did." He lifted his head and looked at her, his bottom lip trembled.

"Really?"

"Yeah, right Malice?" He pawed at Hero's stomach to move him back so he could speak, and breathe.

"Uh yeah, what you did was awesome. No mother fucking fairy could do that." Not exactly how she would have said it but she presumed this was Malice at his best of niceness. Never the less, Hero looked overjoyed.

"Oh gracias amigos, you so good to me!" And once again he captured them in a crushing embrace.

"And now, let us march on friends" he said after letting them go to catch their breath "To get rata called Jareth!"

"R-right!" Hero and Anne pushed open the next set of doors, while Malice marked his territory again on the snake corpse.

They found the goblins already aligned, ready for battle. But when they saw Anne's bloody jeans and the gory scene behind them, knees buckled, skin paled and they dropped weapons and ran.

"MURDERS, MURDERS, RETREAT!!!" They ran into their houses, wells, barrels, anything to conceal themselves. All that remained were a pile of weapons and a few chickens.

"O…kay then, guess we won't have to fight then." Anne said to her relief.

"Pussies." Malice mumbled

It wasn't long before they found themselves at the castle gates. It was left slightly ajar so getting inside wasn't so much of a challenge, Anne began to wonder if Jareth was even trying now. Never the less, Anne hurried down the large corridor to the throne room, her eyes were set instantly on the thirteen hour clock; five minutes left. Her heart wretched, it was an impossible amount of time to find and defeat Jareth. At least she knew where to go, her eyes focused on the stairs. That's where he was, waiting for her.

She was so engrossed in thought that she didn't even notice her folder nearby, or her companions standing behind her.

"He up there?" Hero asked.

"Yes." Anne replied.

"Let's get that ass wipe!" Malice said but she stopped them both before they could ascend.

"I have to go alone."

"What the fuck, why?!" Malice questioned.

"Because." She said simply.

Before Malice could protest, Hero nudged him with his foot.

"If that is what señorita wishes, then so be it." He said humbly "But…" They both regarded her "You be needing us?"

"Yeah, should you need us?"

Hearing those words tore her heart. She never considered the fact that she might not ever see them again.

"Yes, I'll call for you." Her eyes prickled. He yearned to hug them, to remember their feel and smell before leaving but time was short.

"Thank you." She said to them before hurrying up the stone steps, tears silently streaming down her cheeks. She grew to love them both so much, yet she was being cruel.

Even after promising, she knew now she couldn't break Malice's curse, whatever it was. And Hero, aside from Malice he'd be all alone, she believed all that he wanted was for someone to love and to be loved back, she knew she couldn't be that someone.

She felt cruel, so cruel.

She emerged onto the stone platform, she looked to see that she was surrounded by the stone hallway and the many stairs, and yet no sign of Jareth. So with little knowledge of where she was going or how much time she had, she hurried down a staircase, leading to a dead end. She climbed back up and went the one opposite, also a dead end. With a frustrated sigh she made her way back to the platform. A thought then came to her. She peered over the edge, maybe if she jumped down she would get to where she needed to go, but then she considered that she might be wrong and would more or less be committing suicide.

"You've come so far."

She stumbled back from the ledge, recognising the voice from below. Jareth emerged from below as if walking on level ground. It was the look in his eyes that frightened her. His beautiful mismatched eyes clouded with, anger? Hatred? Resentment? She couldn't tell.

"You've come so far" he repeated, approaching and circling her "but I will not let it happen again, I will not let my world come crashing down because of you!" He raised his voice, his eyes gleamed for a second, showing an emotion that she didn't think he acquainted with. For a moment, she thought it was sadness.

"I…I don't understand…"

"That's exactly the problem!" He hissed, as he continued to approach, she backed away, edging nearer towards the ledge. "You don't understand when you should!"

He regarded her with that cold look, only to gloom as he grabbed her shoulders.

"Why Anne?" He whispered. She stared back bewildered and frightened, not knowing what to say. Knowing he would not get an answer, his eyes darkened and firmed his grip.

"WHY?!" He abruptly pushed her over the ledge. Her scream was caught in her throat as she slowly descended into the ruined hallway. She landed almost daintily for she was in awe. The way the broken stone bricks floated around, the darkness beyond was as if the scene was set in space. Throughout her teens, she considered almost everything to have a meaning. What did this room represent? She wondered. Jareth? Yes most likely. Drinking in the scenery, 'broken dreams' came to mind, It never occurred to her that Jareth had dreams, she was even more unsure of what they could be. The theories were erased from her mind when she saw Jareth coming out of the shadows of the archway in the grey feathered attire, that indignant look still in his eyes.

"You asked why? I don't understand." Anne said, trying her best to hold her ground without showing fear as Jareth regarded her, circling again like prey.

"Why, after all I've done, reject my generosity?"

She glowered, of all the nerve. And he was calling her insolent?

"Generosity" She scoffed at his chosen word "What have you done that's generous?"

"Everything!" he hissed, advancing a step forward when he ceased circling her.

"You wished to be taken away, I granted that wish. You wished to be left alone, I removed the necessities." She then understood why she hadn't seen Hoggle or anyone she expected to meet.

"You desired a place of longing; I gave you your own realm. I have re ordered time," the hands of the thirteen hour clocked whirled around so her current time left was unknown. "I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you!" He shook his head, glaring at her.

"And I am exhausted of living up to your expectation Miss Duchess. Isn't that generous?" The last part was hissed but pierced through Anne, cutting her emotional bottle. All those things he said, how many times had he repeated himself? How many to the countless innocents that entered his realm? She felt insignificant.

"No, no it isn't because you don't do anything for nothing! I'm just a toy for your fucking game, everything you've done was for your own amusement, not because you're 'generous'!" Her eyes prickled, why couldn't he understood the pain she felt, just being near him and what he was saying when it was just all cliché for whoever had the trial of the Labyrinth.

"You dare speak to me like that?!"

"Yes I do!" She said almost shrilly, tears began to leak. She hated it when she cried in front of people.

"You say I don't understand but it's you who doesn't understand! You're nothing but a shallow, arrogant, cold hearted bastard!"

He stared down at the sobbing girl. Calm exterior but stuck for words, no one ever dared speak to him like that, not even the queen of Rasgones. Multiple emotions flowed through him at once, with anger and confusion being top priority. He took a deep breath then slowly exhaled.

"Anne," He produced a glowing crystal in his hand "Look at what I'm offering you, your dreams, everything you've ever desired." She regarded with crystal with red eyes. All she wanted was her friends, and something she was sure he couldn't give her.

"I ask for so little, just let me rule you, and you can have everything you want." He said softly and what seemed to Anne, almost pleading. She stared up at him.

"How many have you said that to?" She asked. He opened his mouth but closed it again. What was she getting at? Why should it even matter to her? He took another long moment, he was getting desperate.

"Please." He said. No emotion changed within Anne. "Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave." His hand extended out to her, offering the prize but she made no attempt to retrieve it.

"Liar."

The clock struck thirteen, the chimed echoed through out the hall, drowning out any other sound attempted to be made. Her gaze never left his. He stood there, slowly withdrawing his hand containing the crystal.

He had won and yet, didn't fell the fulfilling triumph he had waited patiently for. He had offered her everything he could give and still, even now, she refused.

The last chime sounded then there was complete silence. They regarded each other for a long time. But now, her doe like eyes, stared, almost piercing with such detestation. He slowly shook his head.

"Why?"

Tears ran down her face again.

"I hate you."

Before his reaction was known, before anything could be done, Anne felt herself being pulled into darkness and screamed.


	11. In which there's a difference

This chapter's kinda boring, sorry

I own Ellian Howell, Anne, Louari and Chesh.

Queen Kitara belongs to a friend

**Chapter 11: In which there's a difference**

Her eyelids gently flickered and felt the sudden brightness sting her eyes. She groaned.

Eventually her eyes adjusted and discovered she was in a beautifully refined room. The walls and ceiling were runes of soft lilac and white, captivating yet gentle. Portraits of unknown distinguished people hung in their silver frames against the walls. The source of light came from the large marble framed arched window, right next to the four poster bed that Anne laid upon, a bed so soft it felt like she was lying on a fluffy cloud, or a giant lilac marshmallow.

She cried out when she felt something furry brush against her hand and looked down next to her to see the most bizarre looking cat she ever saw. At least, she thought it was a cat.

Its fur was an outstanding purple compared to the other colours present, on the hind of its legs were large crooked spirals of a lighter purple. Its three bright yellow eyes, yes three, beamed up at her with a grin that reminded her of the Cheshire cat from Alice in wonderland she adored as a child.

"Chesh, chesh!" It said contentedly in sing song, swaying its two tails, one tipped black, the other white.

"C-chesh?" She queried, shifting nervously.

"Chesh!" It replied and rubbed its head against her hand, purring slightly. Seeing it was friendly, she hesitantly scratched the back of its ear. It purred happily and titled its head to be scratched in the desired spot. Anne giggled, almost forgetting where she was and how she got here.

"Chesh seems to like you."

Anne looked up to see a woman standing by the foot of the bed. The cat jumped down from Anne's lap and trotted over to her.

"Oh, is that your cat?" Anne sat up on the edge of the bed. The woman smiled and nodded. Whether she was looking at her or 'Chesh' she couldn't tell, her eyes were hidden under a fringe of pink hair that was loosely tied, all she had to show for her face was a comforting smile. As for her clothes, her loose black trousers were a little threaded, possibly from the claws of her jovial purple cat that still beamed at her. Over her loose lemon yellow shirt draped a long black cape reaching down to the tops of her black boots, clipped with a white feather. Needless to say, her dress sense was to be less then desired.

"Um…"

"Oh I apologise, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Ellian Howell, and this exquisite creature is Chesh."

"Chesh bang boom!" The cat said. Ellian smiled and scratched its head.

"Lovely isn't it? Although I can't tell what gender it is" she chuckled "It understands and speaks single words quite well, except for 'meow', strange isn't it?"

"Uhh, yeah I guess." She smiled awkwardly, unsure whether this eccentric woman was trustworthy or not, who chuckled and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm rambling on aren't I, you're probably wondering why you're here aren't you?"

"Yeah, how did I get here anyway?"

"Oh, that would be because of me. Fear not, the queen will explain all."

"Queen?"

"Yes, queen Kitara, she is waiting for you right now but insisted that you rest after being brought here."

"Oh." She blushed and looked down out her attire; dirty, torn and blood spattered, not exactly a presentation she wished for a queen to see.

"Don't worry, all will be clarified soon enough. Let me escort y-" She unexpectedly walked into one of the bed posts and stumbled back.

"Are you alright?" Anne jumped up and trotted over to her to hold her steady.

"Yes, yes I'm fine, don't worry it often happens." She chuckled and rubbed the red mark on her forehead.

"Um, maybe you should move your hair out your eyes."

"That wouldn't make a difference." She lifted her fringe; the pupils of her light blue eyes were grey and smoked over.

"Oh you're…I'm sorry I didn't know-"

"That's quite alight, it's often looked over. Chesh acts as my eyesight, well when it wants to of course." She smiled, Chesh hissed comically and climbed onto Ellian's shoulders.

"Shall we?" Before they could reach the large purple door, a tall red headed woman opened it and emerged. Of course Ellian didn't realise and pushed at the woman's breastplate, thinking it was the door.

"Hmm, I don't remember the door being so…lumpy."

Partially amused and shocked, Anne said nothing. The woman cleared her throat. Ellian seemed to recognise who it was and immediately removed her hands.

"Oh Louari, I thought you were the door."

"Hello sorceress Howell." The woman said, unamused.

"I was just about to escort Anne to the queen." She smiled while stroking Chesh. Anne stood there in silence, wondering how she knew her name.

"So I see. Well if you wouldn't mind, I would like to escort her.

"Oh by all means. Oh Anne" Ellian turned to what she thought was the direction of Anne, she was facing the wall.

"This is Louari, the queen's most loyal solider." Louari cleared her throat again and nudged her in the right direction.

"Sorry, I mean 'General Lou'."

"Oh, nice to meet you." Anne said politely.

"It's a pleasure" she smiled and bowed "well Anne if you'll please follow me. Sorceress Howell." Louari opened the door the nodded at Ellian which frankly, seemed that her blindness didn't seem to be an issue.

"Quack!" Chesh grinned ear to ear.

"It was an honour to meet you Anne." Ellian complimented before they left the room. Her brow furrowed. What did she mean by 'honour'?

"I apologise for the sudden abduction." Louari said as they walked down the marble corridor.

"You're the one who grabbed me?"

"Yes, Sorceress Howell is the one who casted the portal and I'm the one who retrieved you." The clank of her armour echoed throughout the hallway, Anne regarded her as they walked along, aside the armour she looked much like a pirate with the eye patch and sword hanging from her lower back.

"The minute her majesty found out you failed the trial of the Labyrinth, she wished to summon you immediately." She continued on.

"Why?" She paused before answering.

"Her majesty will explain everything to you."

Anne was in awe when they came to a large white double door with what seemed to be a dragon, engraved in silver and purple. Its silver eye swivelled in their direction.

"_What does thy desire?"_ A deep voice echoed.

"To serve my queen and country." Louari replied, the doors slowly opened up, Anne gaped.

"Uh, what would have happened if-"

"Immediate annihilation" she responded "it's for security measures so only I can open the doors." She led Anne across the purple carpet leading to a marble throne. The room was so big it seemed to take ages to get there. When they got close enough, Anne's eyes widened when she recognised the person in the throne to be the kind woman from the Mirror meadow, Louari stood by the side of her throne.

"Anne, this is Queen Kitara of the city of Rasgones. Your majesty, Anne."

"Hello Anne."

"Oh, you're that lady from that mirror place! I never had a chance to thank you."

"Think nothing of it" she smiled "Please, have a seat." She gestured to a chair that suddenly appeared behind her, Anne nervously sat down, trying to maintain graceful poise to make up for her attire.

"You know why you're here, correct?"

"Um kind of, it's because I…lost to Jareth, right?" The queen nodded, placing her hands under her chin.

"And I am correct to presume you made an agreement with him, to remain in his city if you were to fail?"

Anne blushed and nodded. Kitara closed her eyes and sighed, as if in deep concentration. She straightened herself up.

"Twenty one years ago, a girl by the name of Sarah Williams came to the Labyrinth after making a deal with Jareth to get her baby brother back after wishing him away" Anne already knew all about that but remained silent "of course, he wanted to keep her as well as the baby and did anything he could to sabotage her chances of passing through his Labyrinth. But, he took her power for granted and was defeated." She stood up strolled over to the window, Anne remained in her seat.

"After the events, the Underground became unstable. The enchantments began to break and fall apart, kingdoms and their domains almost destroyed."

"Why?" Anne asked appalled.

"Because the 'almighty' Goblin king had no power over a human girl. And with that, how could he have power over anything else? Kingdoms conflicted with each other, questioning Jareth's authorities. War between the kingdoms almost broke out, including mine."

"All because he lost to one person?!" Anne queried in disbelief.

"You must understand Anne. This had brought fear to the Underground. If one human girl could defeat a potent king like Jareth, what was to stop it from happening again?" She turned back to Anne.

"Anyway, after a while things calmed down and the incident was forgotten about. And of course, we thought Jareth would have put the wish giving behind him. Obviously we were wrong." She sighed, tugging at a strand of white hair. Anne furrowed her brow in thought.

"But wait, it's sort of a good thing that I lost then right?" Louari, who had remained silent, regarded her then Kitara, who had walked back to the marble throne.

"Yes and no, true that because you lost the Underground won't be in peril" her answer wasn't an optimistic one "but you don't belong in the Underground Anne. I'm not one for breaking promises or even contracts, but it's vital that you return to the Aboveground."

Anne's brow furrowed, that would mean back to being lonely and misunderstood.

"But, only Jareth can send me back right? And besides, I kind of like it here." Her hands fidgeted nervously, Kitara gently shook her head.

"You don't understand Anne, if you don't return, you'll be forgotten."

Anne froze in her seat.

"Wha….what do you mean forgotten?!"

"If you stay in the Underground for too long, it'll only be a matter of time before you become part of it and cease to exist in reality. Everyone that ever knew you would forget about you."

Anne sat there, taking in every word. Strangely enough she didn't seem too upset, more or less rather confused.

"What do you mean cease to exist in reality?" Kitara regarded her for a while then shook her head.

"He hasn't told you anything." She mumbled then looked down at her sadly.

"Anne, the Underground doesn't exist."

Her mouth hung opened but then closed. Doesn't exist? She was here wasn't she? Her butt was on a cold marble seat wasn't it?!

"Doesn't exist? But I'm…"

"Anne, listen to me. The Underground, your friends, everything here is mere fantasy. None of it is real. None of it at all."


	12. In which wishing is dire

**Chapter 12: In which wishing is dire**

"_None of it is real. None of it at all."_

It played through her mind like a broken record. The Underground, this place, her friends, Jareth, they were all fake? A fairy tale? How could she believe all that, after all she's been through?

"How can you say that? That's like saying-"

"I'm not real?" She finished for her and sadly nodded. "Yes, I'm aware of that, and I accept it." Louari lowered her head as she spoke. Anne looked down at her hands, she was becoming less of herself yet at the same time more the longer she remained in the Underground.

"So, the longer I stay here…" Kitara nodded. Her brow furrowed again, she immediately thought of the goblin king and if he was aware of this.

"Does that mean Jareth-"

"Yes. He's 'an escape from reality' if you will, when someone makes a wish, he comes and grants it since he is the only one with the power to cross over to the Aboveground and back. But I'm sure you know he doesn't do anything for nothing."

She looked down and considered this for a moment then looked up again.

"Does…Jareth know he's…"

"Yes."

She bowed her head again, unable to imagine how Jareth felt about being a fictional being, how anyone felt.

"…How…How do you know all this?"

She only then noticed that then queen was slightly bent in front of her, tenderly stroking her shoulder like a mother to her child.

"Anne, you created me to know theses things." She smiled warmly. Anne looked up, slightly dazed. How could she forget? She was staring at a picture of her more then thirteen hours ago.

"I…Created you?" She nodded.

"Yes. Everything you see here, this castle, the city, its people, this patch of the Underground, was all made up by you."

Anne stared at her, in awe as well as confused, sure she recognised some of the things she sketched throughout her life, but creating an entire domain? That was a bit much to take in for Miss Duchess, not to mention some things still didn't add up.

"M-me? But Jareth's the one who created the door and everything and-"

"Ah, he only materialised your fantasies, the rest was all down to you.

"Ok then, but I've been for less then a day and you talk like you know him pretty well and what's happened and-" She was stopped yet again by the queen's hand. Anne blushed, realising she was getting a little carried away.

"Again, all down to you. Each time you create something, you put your whole heart and soul into it, whether it being a person or a mere plant. You gave each thing life Anne, dreams, memories, emotions. But no matter how much love, how much hope and wish you put into it, it will never become truth. The same applies for Jareth."

"What do you mean?" Anne's hands clenched around the seat, expecting to be knocked back from the so called facts she was being told.

"Like everyone else, his 'memories' have been altered for the convenience of this realm. It occurs to anyone's wishes, little but many changes are made to their liking to maintain balance of the Underground."

Louari remained quite the whole time, still as a statue. How she felt about hearing this was unknown, Anne on the other hand stared at Kitara. The answers came so easy and yet she had difficulty grasping any of it.

"So…changes are made to the entire Underground depending on the person's wishes and fantasies?"

"Yes."

She thought back to Jareth. His so called generosity seemed like a mockery to her, but hearing this, it clarified so much.

"_You don't understand when you should!"_

All his life, throughout his time of being king, he has done so much for his wishers, for her, more then she ever realised.

"_I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you!"_

"Jareth…" She murmured, put a hand up to her lips. "He's done so much."

"You make it sound like he's done good." The queen lightly scoffed, turning her back to Anne. She walked back to the throne and sat down, looking intently at her.

"Don't be fooled by his 'generosity', he is fully aware of what happens to him, and the Underground when wishes are accounted for." She said bluntly.

"How could he know that his memories get a little altered? That doesn't make sense." Anne said a little astounded.

"You forget Anne, Jareth does not do anything for nothing. He has control over all wishes and will go to any length to grant them, to please them, but always for a price, what exactly? It all depends on the wisher."

If so, Anne wondered what Jareth wanted with her, she didn't feel she was anything special, aside from a peculiar imagination.

"Nevertheless, he is no different" she continued "Jareth can never be truth." Anne listened on, brow slightly furrowed.

"No matter how real he seems, how realistic he may act, he is not. Like him, everything here is false existence, anger, pain-"

"_but I will not let it happen again, I will not let my world come crashing down because of you!"_

"-love-"

"_Please. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."_

"-everything, nothing but fantasy…"

"_Why Anne?"_

"_Why?"_

"_I hate you."_

"That's enough!" She abruptly stood up. Louari looked up from her post, shocked as her queen from Anne's sudden outburst.

"How can you say all that?! How can you say all those things about him, about anyone, about yourself?! That you aren't real or don't have feelings?! How can you be so damn sure?!"

"Anne, none of it-"

"I DON'T CARE IT'S REAL TO ME!" Her shriek echoed, silencing the astonished queen. Anne swallowed, trying to gather calmness but hearing those things, true or not, were hurtful.

"Haven't you ever loved someone so much that it hurt you, so much that you couldn't stand it, knowing that person you love might not love you back?"

Each spoken word was shaky. Louari stood there with her mouth slightly ajar. Kitara reminisced for a moment. Hand on her heart, thinking of what Anne said. Something then dawned upon her.

"Now I understand." Her hand drifted to her lap as her eyes did to Anne softly.

"You're in love with him."

Anne blinked and stared, still shaken and upset from her earlier flare-up. She wiped her eyes in case of tears spilling.

"W…What?"

"You're in love with Jareth, aren't you?"

Whether to confirm or deny it was interrupted by noises of shouting and fire blazing outside the door.

"Intruder boom! Intruder roar!" Chesh came bounding into the room, followed by sorceress Howell.

"Your majesty, someone has broken into the castle!" Ellian gasped for breath

"How did you get in?!" Louari stood back and stared at them, unable to believe they were really there. Her head swiftly turned to the door and her face turned pale, the giant double door was slightly ajar. Just as horrified, Kitara stood up.

"Close the doors!" She yelled in command, Louari immediately rushed to do so, but before she could even reach it she was blown back by a fire explosion and slide against the marble floor, all the way back to the queen's throne. Marble was highly valued and kept pristine after all.

Anne heard a lot of coughing followed by 'you fucking idiot' from an all too familiar voice.

"I sorry, guess I make boom too big sí?" Hero emerged from the smoke cloud and coughed, followed by Malice

"Hero, Malice!" Anne cried out, overjoyed to see her friends again who were equally happy to see her.

"Ha, see I told you she be in this room!" Hero said proudly. Malice, as always, scowled.

"Well whoopity frickin' doo, gold star for the special guy."

"Gracias." Hero said, not knowing it was an insult.

"Malice?" The queen drifted from her throne, walking past Anne, her eyes never leaving the scowling green creature.

"Hey you." He mumbled miserably. Hero on the other hand was marvelled by the young woman's beauty.

"Ay Chihuahua she muy caliente!" The queen looked at the strange man flabbergasted and a little worried.

"Hey step off or I'll bite it off!" Malice hissed harshly, turning an angry shade of red.

"Why are you here Malice?" She asked directly, ignoring Hero's perverted leer.

"We're here to rescue Anne." As she heard this, she stifled a small chuckle.

"I beg to differ. She has been rescued, from that rat Jareth."

"And I beg to differ sweetheart, she was kidnapped and we're taking her back!" He retorted. Anne looked back and forth at them, wondering how they seemed to know each other. Kitara managed to keep a calm poise but the annoyance in her voice was obvious.

"Anne will not be going anywhere, and if you so much as try to defy me you will be severely punished."

"You can punish me all you want, you can punish me ALL night long." Hero said dreamily. This time he was regarded with disgust, even Malice and Anne.

"Silence pig, how dare you speak to the queen like that!" Louari fumed, withdrawing her sword and pointing at him warningly, but it only seemed to rouse him more.

"Gggrowl. You gonna take me round back, teach me a lesson? Tell me how bad I been?" He growled inappropriately, Malice tugged at the leg of his pants.

"Don't piss her off!" He hissed, but it was a little late of a warning. Louari had gone from irate to baffled to just plain livid.

"You pig!" She seethed, getting ready to charge and swing her sword.

"You idiot do something!" Malice cried out. Hero gave a shrill whimper, looking around the room in hope of something to aid them. He looked back to the smoky remains of the double doors and for the first time in a long time, he got an idea.

He lifted his hand up and in an instance, was consumed by flames, emitting a continuous amount of smoke.

"Where there fire, there also smoke." He said proudly with his self discovered fact. The room was consumed in a fog of smoke. Anne herself was lost coughing in the smoke. Numerous other coughs were heard but the warm smoke was so thick it was impossible to tell where the sources were. She suddenly gasped as she felt someone grab her arm.

"Shh, it me." Hero whispered, quickly navigating her out the room. Leaving behind the panic risen voices

"Where's Anne!? Don't let them take her!"

"I can't see a damn thing!"

"Chesh?! Chesh where are you?!"

"Chesh cough!"

Emerging from the smoked throne room, Hero and Malice dashed down the marble hallway, dragging Anne along the way who halted only to throttle them in a hug.

"You came for me, thanks guys!"

"No problema señorita, we happy you ok."

"Yeah, yeah, enough of this sentimental crap let's go!" Malice mumbled. He was ignored.

"But how did you both find me?"

"Oh, Señor Jareth sent us to get you." She felt her heart skip a beat.

"He…he sent you to save me?"

"Sí, we wait for you to come back, but instead of you, he appear and ask us to bring you back to castle."

"Yes Mr Glitter tight pants asked to get you so can WE get going?!" Malice added.

"Oh sí" Hero pulled out something from his pocket and gave it to Anne. It was a crystal ball "Señor Jareth tell me to give you this. You just wish to go back to castle and we get there."

"Oh." She said, staring at the crystal. She wasn't particularly eager to see him again after all the things she had said. Malice became impatient.

"What the hell are you waiting for?! Make the damn-"

"YOU!"

Louari emerged from the throne room, still consumed with smoke. She was dragging her sword with a very irate look in her eye, mostly directed at Hero.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!!" She stampeded towards them, swinging the dangerous metal. The others did what any other normal person would do; shriek like girls and run.

"YOU JUST HAD TO PISS HER OFF DIDN'T YOU?!" Malice yelled as they ran down the corridor. Ellian emerged from the smoking room with Chesh on her shoulders. Somehow having Chesh with her, she knew what was happening.

"Rise and assist!" She spoke. Half of the dragon door came to life. It twitched and broke from the marble casing, lifting itself up with its front legs. Half its body was destroyed and lay with the rest of the marble heap, so all that remained were a head, front legs and a chunk of its torso. Despite its condition, it dashed down the corridor with haste at Ellian's command, searching for the intruders.

"STOP RUNNING SO I CAN KILL YOU!!" Louari yelled, still chasing the others.

"I SORRY I NO SPEAK ENGLISH!!" Hero shrieked, hoping at some attempt of easing her temper with idiotic excuses.

"BULLSHIT! STOP RUNNING YOU DICK SO I CAN CUT IT OFF!"

He shrieked. Anne didn't know how much longer she could run and Malice's leg hadn't completely healed and suffered the same problem.

"W-what's that?!" Anne gasped as they heard rumbling. They all turned their head's, including Louari to see half a giant dragon hurtling towards them. Everyone (except Louari) screamed, but realising that a dragon was considered a reptile, Hero's was louder and more high pitched.

"YOU BOTH TOO SLOW!" So while still running and without warning, he grabbed Anne and flung her over his back and seized Malice by he scruff of his neck. He hurtled at high speed down the corridor leaving Louari and the dragon in the dust.

"GET BACK HERE, YOU WON'T ESCAPE!" She called after them. Hero turned around the corner and almost slammed into a dead end. He whimpered at the sound of rumbling and loud cursing approaching.

"SEÑORITA MAKE WISH NOW!!!" He exclaimed, putting down Anne and Malice.

"O-ok!" She took out the crystal she had put in her pocket. She was about to wish themselves out but hesisitated, she was anxious about seeing Jareth, even if there was a psychopath and half a roaring dragon after them.

"What are you waiting for?! Make the fucking wish Anne!" The pressure from Malice didn't exactly help her decision any more, nor did Hero's wailing.

"HURRY AND MAKE WISH!"

Louari appeared around the corner, along with the gigantic dragon. Hero shrieked even louder.

"There you are!" Louari hissed, swinging her sword. The dragon growled lowly.

"YOU WON'T ESCAPE ME!!" She and the dragon stampeded towards them.

"PLEEEASE SEÑORITA MAKE WISH NOW!"

"ANNE HURRY UP AND MAKE THE FUCKING WISH!"

Anne hesitated and squeezed her eyes shut, wishing to go to the first place that came to mind. The roars, yelling, and wailing became silent.

As her wish was granted, the crystal shattered.


	13. In which hearts beat

AH! Sorry this chapter took so long, enjoy

**Chapter 13: In which hearts beat**

Anne was forced to open her eyes on the count of the strange noises, and smell. In the thick of panic, she had wished themselves to the bog of eternal stench

She gagged and clamped her hand over her nose, hearing other gagging groans, she turned her head to Malice and Hero who in vain, were trying to block out the vile stench.

"Urghhh! Oh god what the fuck?!" Malice was huddled on the dirt ground, covering his snout with his paws.

"Ay Caramba!" Hero covered his own mouth and nose, looking quite queasy. He remembered Jareth's threat of throwing him in the bog and seeing how putrid it looked and smelled made him partially glad he deceived Anne.

"What the fuck Anne?!" Malice muffled sharply through his paws, looking quite indignant. "Of all the fucking places to fucking wish us to, you had to wish us to the fucking bog of eternal fucking stench! What the fuck?!"

Being an animal he had a sensitive sense of smell so Anne couldn't really blame him for being so enraged.

"I-"

"HELP! SOMEONE GET ME DOWN!!!"

Anne recognised it to be Louari's voice, not far off she was hanging upside down over the bog. The remains of the marble dragon weren't far off either. Her foot was tangled in a crooked branch, gently swaying back and forth. When she swayed in their direction she caught sight of them.

"Hey, hey help me down will you?!" She swayed more as she wriggled about.

"I say we leave her there." Malice mumbled, still clamping his nose.

"We can't just leave her there, she might fall in." Anne frowned. Hero was whining about the smell.

"Point being?"

"Would you PLEASE get me down?!" She snapped.

"How'd we know you won't try anything?" Malice retorted.

"Ok, one: I dropped my damn sword" it floated below her in the khaki coloured sludge

"two: I don't know magic and three if you DON'T get me down you'll pay dearly you snot faced little rodent!"

"Oooh, ahhh, I'm pissing myself." He mumbled sarcastically, Anne nudged him with her foot.

"Don't worry we'll get you down, somehow…"

"I will save you soon to be novia!" Hero announced hoping onto the crumpled marble.

"What?! No you stay the hell away from me you swine!" She furiously waved about, making the branch creak, it jolted and lowered her.

"Ok, ok just hurry up!"

"Fear not amor!" His tone weakened when he realised he was nowhere close to her, even on the broken marble. She descended a little more

"HURY UP YOU JACKASS!" She shrieked. Some of the marble crumpled into the quagmire.

"Oooh, I have idea!" He picked up a huge chunk marble and threw it into the sludge. Picking up another boulder, he stepped onto it and placed the next one in front of him.

"My god who knew he could think in his head and not in his pants?" Malice mumbled. Anne stifled her laugh to avoid inhaling the putrid fumes. Hero got close enough in time to catch her. Louari's shriek was brief as she fell but was caught bridal style.

"Hola." He growled, smirking. She gaped at him red faced for a moment, opening her mouth to say something but then close it again and glowered.

"Put me down you pig's ass!"

He frowned but put her down on the marble step in front of him, she covered her nose as she made her way back to land with Hero trudging behind.

"God, who's idea was it to come here?!" She gagged.

"Hers." Hero and Malice chorused referring to Anne who frowned.

"Typical" she mumbled "Well anyway, let's just find a way out." No argument was made at that. Obviously repulsed by the foul stench, they quickly made their way around the bubbling quagmire to the wooden bridge. Anne expected Sir Didymus to pop out and ramble on about his oath and such.

But he wasn't there.

Truthfully she felt a little crestfallen.

"_You wished to be left alone, I removed the necessities."_

Just as Jareth said. She wondered how much he had done for her.

"Anne!"

She blinked and looked down at Malice who cleared his throat. She frowned and picked him up as it seemed that he was used to being carried now.

"Malice?" She said as the crossed the bridge, he looked up and scowled. She was used to it.

"What?"

"That lady Queen Kitara, how do you know her?"

"None of your business!" Louari overheard and turned her head.

"That callous beast knows her because she was his-"

"You can shut it, or shall I tell what's REALLY behind that eye patch?!" Her face burned red.

"I'll have you know it's cleared up now!"

"Then why the hell do you still wear it?!" There was a brief pause.

"Makes me look cool" She shrugged.

"Make you look sexy-"

"Touch me and you DIE!" She snarled at Hero, who seemed profoundly smitten to take heed.

"Fucking morons." Malice mumbled.

"Hey don't try to change the subject" Anne gave his ear a tug "tell me how you know her-"

"Alright, ok jeez! Pain in the ass woman!" He was blushing and lowered his head

"…She was my fiancée."

Anne chocked in shock, but not as much as Hero was, who was just as much jealous.

"What?! You mean to say that sexy caliente reina was your novia?!"

"Stop speaking about the queen like that!" Louari exclaimed in repulsion.

"Aww you no be jealous, I think you erótico too."

"Jealous?! What the hell would I be jealous for?! I just don't appreciate the way you speak about the queen, anyway who in the right mind would have interest in a gutless narcissistic cretin like you?!" She blushed furiously. Her fury only seemed to rouse him more as well as her words with more then one syllable confusing him.

"Oho you feisty muchacha, bet you feisty in bedroom too."

And with that she kneed him in the neither regions. He bit lip his lip and doubled over in pain, holding his crotch.

"Bastard!" She spat and went on ahead, leaving two bewildered and one holding his excruciating manhood.

"Wow. That was…"

"Extreme?" Anne nodded at Malice's chosen word. She went over to Hero and bent down to get a look at his face.

"Are you ok Hero?"

"Sí" His voice was a squeak. He managed to straighten himself with straining effort. From what Anne and Malice saw, even in the agonising pain and watery eyes, he seemed to be in some sort of distorted happiness.

"What the fu-"

"Estoy en amor!" He said with an infatuated sigh "She so very feisty, I will make her my esposa."

Anne and Malice gawped at him in confusion, he sighed.

"My wife."

"What?! You gotta be fucking kidding, you like her?!" Malice exclaimed. Hero nodded.

"But, you just met her, not to mention she doesn't seem to like you, and that she just kneed you in the balls." Anne pointed out.

"Sí, but she has so much….'fuego'. After so long I finally found love of my life, my fiery soul mate, my darling novia: sweet señorita Louari."

"And you realised this from being kneed in the nuts?"

"Sí!" He turned on his heel and galloped after Louari "Wait for us novia Louari!"

Anne stood there with Malice in total bewilderment, trying to comprehend what just happened.

"Somehow, someway, he always seems to reach a new level of stupidity." Malice muttered. Anne's brow furrowed.

"I guess…Love's a complicated thing."

"Yeah…" Anne caught the sorrow in his tone. She was really curious but he wasn't exactly an easy guy to open up.

"Were…Were you in love with her?" He nodded. His ear drooped to the side.

"Demons like me dwell in the shadows of the Underground. I first saw her by the dark depths of the river near Rasgones. I remember thinking she was the most beautiful thing I ever saw" Anne smiled. She had to agree that she was gorgeous "but I could never talk to her, at the time she was a princess and I was just a monster. I always stayed by the river hoping to get a glimpse of her.

One day I was careless and she caught sight of me. But you know what? She smiled at me. I still remember how gorgeous her smile was. No one ever looked at me that way before. I knew then that I was in love. We've met several nights before I found out she felt the same, I couldn't believe it, so I asked her to marry me and she accepted."

Anne remained silent as she listened. Truthfully it was quite hard to imagine him being the Romeo type.

"But of course, her kingdom wasn't exactly thrilled about our engagement so she was given a choice; relinquish me or her throne. She wanted to be with me but I couldn't let her give all that up just for me so I did the only thing I could think of."

"What?" Malice bowed his head.

"I…I told her that I hated her, that I never wanted to see her again. I felt like shit saying all that stuff but I couldn't let her give up everything for a demon. And like all women, she didn't take it so well so she put a curse on me, turning me into a frickin' rabbit." He took a deep breath and exhaled. From the sound of it he had that bottled up for a long time. Anne smiled and stroked his head.

"Aww, I knew you were big softy."

"Oh shut up meat sack!" He mumbled turning a dark shade of red.

"You still love her right?" She stepped over a broken branch. Malice scowled but nodded

"Course I do, why?"

"Well, I think you should tell her."

"Hell no she hates me, and after getting you back she's bound to be super pissed."

"Come on, you never know unless you say something."

"Oh you're one to talk! I don't see you telling King tight pants how you feel!" Anne frowned, kicking a small stone as she walked along.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh come off it Anne, It's obvious that you have a thing for him and don't deny it" he added before she could speak "even the Perv lord knows it!" Anne sighed.

"I don't know what you're talking about" she said bluntly, Malice let out a frustrated sigh "and besides, even if it was true it doesn't matter." Malice's ear pricked.

"I take it something happened at the castle?" She nodded. It was pretty obvious after all seeing as she did wish them to the bog.

"I said some hurtful crap to him. He must really hate me." Malice shook his head and sighed again.

"You're a real dumb ass you know that?" Anne's brow furrowed.

"If he really hated you I don't think that he would have sent me and the Moley to get you."

"But-"

"Goddamn Anne, stop being such a little bitch! I'm pretty damn sure he doesn't hate you, in fact I'm sure that he likes you, why is that so hard to believe?!"

She stopped, pretending to see something interesting on the ground. She wasn't pretty, smart or from what previously happened nice, at least that's what she believed.

"But I-"

"Look here girly, we did not come all the way out here to save your sorry ass then get wished away to a fucking bog just so you could have second thoughts! We'll carry you back to that damn castle if we have to!...Well Hero will, and trust me when I say he won't hesitate to grope your big ass even if he does have a boner for that psychopath heifer! Ok?!" His claws dug into her arm. She sucked in her bottom lip and frowned, she didn't want to see Jareth but she didn't want to get molested either.

"Ok fine I'll talk to him, BUT it isn't because I like him!"

"Whatever you say." Malice sighed. Not far off they could hear Louari shouting at eroHero Hero; something about cutting off his hands if he did it again. Exactly what he did they really didn't want to know.

"Hey malice?" Anne wanted to query him on one more topic.

"What?"

"Why did she change you into a rabbit?"

Malice blushed and his ear twitched.

"She uh, often said I had the enthusiasm of one."

Anne blushed bright red.

Once again they reached the charred gates of Goblin city, the sleeping guard was still there, unaware of the previous events and his urinated foot.

"What in the Underground happened here?!" Louari repulsed at the bloody stain where the snake head was, the Goblins obviously attempted to clean up the blood and frankly, they did a pretty shit job since they weren't hygienic themselves.

"Oh, well we-" Anne began but was interrupted by Hero.

"I, sweet novia, bravely fought horrid Gecko-conda and saved mi amigos" He boasted. Anne and Malice frowned, remembering different then to what he gloriously described.

"Wait, you did that?" Louari pointed to the blood stain, Hero nodded with a smirk.

"Sí, I remove snake head and-"

"You idiot!"

"Huh?" His smirk disappeared, replaced with a dumfounded expression.

"Don't you know that the Gecko-condas are endangered and you attacked and almost killed one?!"

"But-but-but it-"

"You are by far the most moronic, idiotic and just plain dumbest simpleton I have ever met!" She then turned sharply on her heel and went further ahead. Hero stood there as if frozen.

"Well you certainly know how to charm her Casanova." Malice broke the awkward silence, Hero clasped his hands together.

"Ay, she so sensitive to animals, so sweet she is!" He sighed.

"Sweet?! She just called you all kinds of stupid!"

"My amor awaits!" He trotted off, ignoring Malice's comment.

"My god, I actually agree with the psycho about him." He mumbled then looked up at Anne.

"I hope you don't act like that with Glitter pants." Anne ignored him as well and followed the others.

Again, the city was deserted. Anne could have sworn she saw some faces peering out the badly constructed windows, obviously they were in hiding, frightened of who she presumed was Hero. She couldn't blame them really and actually felt sorry for them.

The castle on the other hand, seemed to be in an uproar of goblin activity, which got louder as they walked down the corridor. But when they entered the throne room, they all fell silent, except for the clucking of chickens.

Anne realised they were all staring at her, even the drunk ones. Her eyes nervously shifted about, wishing they would stop gawking at her. She almost jumped when she felt Hero patting her shoulder.

"We return with señorita Anne, just as Rey Jareth asked." He addressed to the Goblins. Another moment of silence passed, to Anne's shock they cheered then went back to their 'duties'.

"Why are they so happy to see me?" She asked.

"You belong to Rey Jareth, or so they say." Hero replied, eyeing the large beer tankard.

"Speaking of which" Louari halted a goblin who was chasing a chicken with a net "tell me, where is your king?"

"Uhhhhhhh" the goblin's brow furrowed, trying to process its peanut for a brain "uhhhhh, oh yeah! His highness is uhhhhh in that room with those uhhh big, square, paper things uhhhhhhh, hey what were they called?" He asked a larger Goblin nearby.

"Um, think dems was called 'books'"

"Yeah, yeah! His highness is in the room with the 'books'" It nodded enthusiastically.

"Thank you." Louari mumbled, appalled by their bad grammar. The goblin began to chase the chicken again but ended up running into a wall and knocking himself out.

Ah the wonders of goblins never cease to amaze.

"Presumably Jareth must be in his study, let's go." Louari said, heading towards the stairs.

"Hehe, Jareth gonna reward Hero!" Hero said in a little sing song to himself.

"Wait a sec" Malice called out, they both stopped "I think Anne should see him, alone."

"W-what?!" She spluttered. Oh how she almost gave into the temptation of shaking the living day lights out of him and flinging him against the wall like a rag doll, but having some moral, she didn't.

"What in the Underground for? And besides, not to be rude to you Anne" Louari said giving her a quick smile "but I'm only here so that the king could send me back to Rasgones."

"Anne can ask for you, but I think she should go A-L-O-N-E." He made a big emphasise on alone. Louari pondered this for a moment, whatever feelings Anne had towards Jareth, she still didn't agree to the idea of her being with him by herself, after all he was a man. Nevertheless she shrugged. After all it could be interesting.

"If you say so" She ruffled Anne's hair "good luck." She smirked and walked off to the keg that numerous goblins lounged around and guzzled from.

"Good luck? What do y-"

"But I want to see Rey Jareth, he might give reward!" Hero whined. Anne frowned feeling a little offended that he rescued her for the value of a prize rather then the value of their friendship.

"Think of it this way Moley, if Louari there gets drunk enough, she might actually stand to kiss you, maybe more." Malice said with great hint. It didn't take Hero long to ponder this.

"Novia Louari you need another drink?!" He pranced over to the keg as well, knocking over a few goblins in the process.

"W-wait I-"

"You'll be fine" Malice hopped down from her arms "have a little faith in yourself."

She looked to the stone steps then back at him and nodded.

"Ok."

"Good luck!" He called over the din as she made her way up the stairs. Truth be told, that didn't help her confidence much.

She found herself again in the distorted Labyrinth of steps and corridors.

She sighed in frustration, making her way down the first set of stairs, which lead to a dead end. An hour passed and she was still stuck.

"How the fuck am I meant to find him?!" She cried in frustration, kicking the stone wall which wasn't the smartest of moves considering she was now hopping, clutching her sore foot, hissing all sorts of wondrous swear words through gritted teeth.

When the pain subsided she found she had actually hopped her way to a burgundy coloured door. Seeing as it was the only door in sight she presumed it was the study. When she reached for the bronze handle she saw she was shaking, she retracted her hand and took a deep breath.

"_Have faith in yourself."_ Malice said, she doubted her faith was going to help if Jareth went completely spacko and threw her in the bog. Still, she took another deep breath and rapped her knuckles on the door.

"Leave me be or you'll be thrown into the bog of eternal stench!" Said a silky smooth voice. That was Jareth alright.

Not knowing whether to take him seriously or not, she turned the bronze handle and opened the door.

Jareth was sitting on a burgundy couch in front of the fireplace, wine glass in his hand, staring at the licking flames. He had been in his study since the rabbit and the fool's departure. He noticed the door opening out of the corner of his eye. He rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration, could goblins not follow even the most simplest of instructions?

"I explicitly said I was not to b-" He looked towards the door, expecting to see one of his hideous goblin minions, but his sentence caught in his throat when he saw it was Anne. For a moment he regarded her in silence, mouth slightly ajar from trying to form his previous sentence, but after a slight shake of the head he regained his posture.

"Oh. Hello." He said politely but bluntly, turning his attention back to the fireplace.

"Hello." She said back, feeling the thick tension in the room. She took the time to scan the room. There were large numerous bookshelves, a large pine table, a burgundy rug and a few distinguished paintings hung on the stone walls. She figured only Jareth read the books since a book was as useful to a Goblin as a closet was to a claustrophobic.

She turned her attention back to Jareth who as it seemed, didn't wish to acknowledge her.

"Um, may I sit down?" She asked a little embarrassed. His answer was a shrug.

She nervously walked over at sat down at the far end of the couch. Jareth took a sip from his wine glass, still ignoring her.

Anne watched the blazing fire, twiddling her thumbs.

"So uh, how are you?" She glanced at him. He took another sip of the dark wine.

"I've been better." He replied. She gently sighed so he wouldn't hear. She couldn't beat round the bush all day.

"…You're mad at me, aren't you?" She asked glumly. He sniffed, swirling around the contents of his glass.

"Anne why would I be mad at you, aside the fact you've ran from me, reject my generosity, insulted me, told me you hated me and what was it you called me?" He turned to face her. "A 'shallow, arrogant, cold hearted bastard' I believe?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." She turned her head to look at him again but he already turned away.

"Jareth, I really am sorry, I….I was just so angry and….I dunno"

Jareth remained silent for a moment, not bothering to face her.

"…May I ask you something?" He finally said.

"Oh, of course." She was partially glad he was willing to converse with her.

"Am I really that horrid?" He stared at the ruby coloured wine in his glass. Anne could have sworn she saw a glimpse of grief in his eyes.

"Jareth…"

"Sarah Williams" He began, swirling the wine again "I offered her everything she could ever desire, I did everything for her. I even …offered myself to her and yet…"

Anne couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

"Did you love her?" Jareth was silent for a moment.

"…Yes." He replied sadly. Anne felt her throat tighten. "But, through and through, she saw me as a villain."

"I don't think you're a villain." This time he regarded her and she blushed.

"Well to tell the truth, you're arrogant, stuck up and a little self centred, but there isn't anyone in the world who isn't like that some of the time, I'm like that some of the time. But…"

"But?" He raised an eyebrow

"…Um, your definition of 'generous' is a little muddled."

"Oh, how so?" He set his glass down.

"Well, when you're generous you don't expect anything in return. You on the other hand don't do anything for nothing. Like kidnapping Sarah's brother-"

"I'll have you know young lady, that I did not kidnap young Toby, she wished him away to the goblins." Anne sighed in frustration, he was so stubborn.

"People sometimes say things that they don't mean Jareth."

"Oh?" He put a hand to his chin. "Did you mean what you said to me, about hating me?"

Anne nervously scratched the back of her hand.

"No, I didn't mean to say that, as I said I was angry. I don't hate you at all, in fact I….I like you." Anne saw the smirk on his face and blushed.

"In a friendly sort of way!" She quickly added. She wanted to make amends not boost his ego. He was still smiling.

"I'm glad." He shifted in his seat. "I like you too."

"Oh…" She blushed, whether he meant it friendly or romantically she wasn't sure but still, to be told by the Goblin king that he liked her meant something to her.

They regarded for each other for a moment when someone knocked on the door, Jareth sighed.

"Who is it?"

"Tis me your Highness." A goblin soldier entered the room.

"Oh, excuse me." He said, seeing that Anne was there and feeling he had just interrupted something.

"What is it? I said I was not to be disturbed."

"I-I know your Highness b-but the queen of Rasgones is here!" Anne jerked her head but Jareth didn't seem fazed.

"She wishes to see you now your Highness!"

"I suppose I should see what she wants." He sighed and stood up.

"Please excuse me Anne." He smiled politely at her, then startled her as he bent down, brushing his lips against her cheek.

"Thank you." He whispered, pressing his cheek to hers. He then straightened himself and walked out with the goblin.

Anne sat there, nothing but the sound of the crackling fire being heard, burning hot like her red cheeks. She brushed her fingers on her cheek. Jareth just kissed her, sure it may have been just a peck but it was enough to overwhelm her with delight. She sighed lightly, glad that she had listened to Malice. She suddenly gasped, realising that Queen Kitara was at the castle. Was she here to take her back? She was a sweet woman and all but found she didn't want to return to Rasgones, for 'obvious' reasons.

She sighed and looked around the room, feeling bored. She glanced over at the wine glass and bottle and licked her dry lips. It had been a while since she ate or drank anything and was sure Jareth wouldn't mind.

She scooted over to where Jareth was previously sitting and picked up the glass. The first sip was warm, making her cough a little, she took another sip, this time savouring the taste, it was somewhat fruity with a hint of spice. She picked up the bottle and poured herself a full glass.

Jareth hastily made his way through the twisted corridors and stairs, cursing and mumbling. Just when he and Anne were getting through to one another, 'she' had to show up.

It didn't take him long to get to the throne room, where a beautiful yet irate looking queen was waiting with her arms crossed, all the goblins and Anne's friends seemed to have evacuated the room.

"Queen Kitara, what a surprise." He said politely, greeting her with a bow.

"To what to do I owe the pleasure?"

"Save it Goblin king." She retorted.

"There is something we need to discuss, and I think you know what I mean."


	14. In which lust is magic: LEMONISH

I do not own labyrinth, If I did I would rule it and Jareth would be my 'slave'...Yes...'Slave'... (Shifty eyes)

**Chapter 14: In which lust is magic**

The queen stood there defiantly, waiting for a reply from the king she saw as a tyrant. Jareth looked upon her coolly. With her elegant yet firm fashion she certainly looked out of place in their current repulsive setting.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" He asked innocently whilst observing his leather gloves with feign interest. The queen crossed her arms and scowled.

"You know very well what I mean Jareth. I'm speaking of Anne."

"Oh? What of her?" He strolled over to take seat in his throne and positioned himself in his usual bored slouch. Kitara sighed in frustration. Already he was trying her patience.

"I know Anne is here!" She snapped. "She cannot stay here Jareth!"

"On the contrary love." He had taken out his crop and tapped it against his shin, refusing eye contact. "An agreement has been made. She failed my Labyrinth and is to remain here in the Underground."

"Failed?!" She lifted the hem of her silk gown so to not soil it on the grubby stone floor and paced into Jareth's view.

"Anne has made her way through your insignificant Labyrinth, passed through your city and confronted you! How in the Underground has she failed?!" She glared at him indignantly. Jareth regarded her with ease. Beautiful she was, very beautiful but exasperating.

"True, but she has not said what needed to be said. If she had, she would have been sent back to the Aboveground. And speaking of which…" He rose from his throne, levelling with the young woman.

"You had no right to interfere."

"Interfere?" She queried heatedly, her face remaining a scowl. Jareth folded his arms.

"I know it was you who let her out of the Mirror meadow, and had your eccentric general kidnap her."

She lowered her gaze for a moment, refusing to admit his accuracy.

"Where is my general?" She finally demanded. Jareth smirked, amused by her strength of character but at the same time annoyed by her lack of esteem towards him.

"Your general is fine. She is here with Anne's friends."

"I see." She became silent again. She would speak to Louari later but for now Anne was her prime concern.

"Jareth" she sighed. Seeing as her defiant rigidity didn't succeed, she pondered if a gentler tone would make him see reason.

"I am not doing this out of spite but please, see to reason Jareth. Anne has a life in the Aboveground, it's where she belongs. Do you really wish to take that away from her?"

Jareth had concealed his crop and was twirling a crystal on his fingers as she spoke. He stopped, knowing she was waiting for an answer.

"Tell me, do you know how long Anne has been in the Underground?" He said. Kitara remained silent, truthfully he didn't expect her to answer but rather ponder.

"Over thirteen hours, maybe even a day?" He continued, now twirling multiple crystals he conjured. Kitara kept her gaze on him. She wasn't a person to easily captivate.

"She has yelled, moaned, cried and even cursed under the sun." He gestured towards the window, it was becoming dusk.

"But" he stopped juggling the crystals "not once has she complained about being here. Not once has she asked to return. I believe she has already made her decision, don't you?" He smiled knowingly at her, but she didn't return it.

"Like you would have given her a choice." She glowered. Jareth stifled a laugh, such a stubborn mule she was but presumed that was why she was a ruler. Every domain needed a monarch of strong will and independence, and that was something she had plenty of.

As irksome as he found her he had to admit he did admire her a little.

"Oh dear, Kitara." He tutted and shook his head. He outstretched his hand so it hovered just above her chin. "It just doesn't suit you."

She furrowed her brow and stepped back, avoiding his leather clad touch.

"What doesn't?"

"Jealousy."

Her features sharpened with a mixture of exasperation and bewilderment. Her mouth became ajar in silent fury.

"You…You think I'm jealous of Anne?"

"Love, I **know** you're jealous of Anne." He said. Kitara glared, trying to comprehend since she considered herself to be near perfection whilst Anne clearly had many flaws.

"Clarify this for me" He went on before she had a chance to speak "I have heard it was you that was rejected by your former lover, your fiancée I believe yes?"

She diverted her gaze. Jareth smirked in satisfaction of his precision.

"And from what I heard it was an Underground demon" he mused "is that presumption right also?"

Still she didn't answer. He had hit her in her soft spot. Jareth watched her, wondering if she would retaliate in some way. Instead she placed her hands in front of her and breathed out.

"It seems that we are not going to see eye to eye." She admitted regretfully. Jareth took satisfaction but could see from her bleak expression that he had over stepped the line.

"Quite." He agreed. Kitara nodded and turned on the spot.

"I will take my leave then. But I would like to speak to Anne at some point." She slowly strolled out the throne room and down the corridor, letting her dress sweep the floor.

Jareth glanced down the corridor after she existed the castle. He fiddled with his crystals, feeling a culpable pang he wasn't familiar with. He'd often forget how emotional women could be. Women were women, even in the Underground.

He sighed and threw the crystals over his shoulder, unintentionally aiming for a group of unsuspecting goblins that came out of hiding. They shrieked and scattered, avoiding the shattering glass (one was unlucky and got a concussion).

Paying no heed to the ruckus, Jareth glided up the stone stairs heading back to the study.

Along the way he considered some of the things Kitara had said. Come to think of it he wasn't entirely sure if Anne wanted to stay in the Underground. She seemed fine about it but then again, still seemed a tad meek even though she gained a little more confidence since he met her. He would ask her when he'd get back.

As he approached the burgundy door he heard a lot of high pitched giggling within the room. Raising an eyebrow he entered the room and paused to see Anne sprawled out on the couch, laughing uncontrollably at nothing in particular.

"Anne?" He moved cautiously towards the couch. Anne angled her head to look at him and grinned.

"Heeeeeyyy Jarry!" She slurred and giggled.

"Jarry?" She threw her arms over her head and giggled again as if he told the most hilarious joke she heard.

"Anne…Are you alright?" He titled his head to see her face in the fire light. She looked flushed and a little dazzled.

"Yeeeesh I am Jarry Jar Jar Jareth pants!" She giggled again. He furrowed his brow. Why in the Underground was she acting like that? He was about to ask when his eyes darted over to the wine bottle on the table, less then a third of the dark liquid was left.

"Anne?" She pushed herself upright and gazed at Jareth like an intrigued child.

"How many glasses have you drunk?" He folded his arms, waiting for an answer.

"Uhhhhh" Anne put a finger to her lips in thought, but the way she portrayed it seemed a tad suggestive to Jareth "I dunno uhhh two…..Eleventeen seven!" She blurted then giggled, reaching for her glass and drinking the last of the contents.

"This is gooood!" She slurred and nodded her head.

"I think you've had enough young lady." He sat down and effortlessly took the glass from her.

"Don't patronise me Jeremy!" She said between a slur and giggled. She gently swayed then fell against Jareth's shoulder.

"Mmmmm, you smell pretty." She mumbled. Jareth cracked an amused smile.

"Come on you, let's get you up." He tried to lift Anne up who inconveniently wasn't any help. She giggled and became limp in his grip, causing Jareth to topple back onto the couch with sniggering Anne on top of him.

"Anne, please get up." His voice was muffled considering he was being smothered by Anne's chest. He was actually glad she wasn't much endowed.

Anne giggled and made no attempt to move, Jareth moved his head to the side so he could breathe.

"Anne, get up now." He firmly demanded. But Anne just laughed more, causing her chest to heave and smush his face more.

"Oh for the love of…" He mumbled, losing his patience. Without thinking where he was placing his hands he pushed her up.

"Tickly!" She giggled, Jareth saw why. He had grabbed her breasts.

"Oh my…" Before he could decide whether to remove his hands or not, a goblin barged into the room unexpectedly.

"Your highness, about the people that have-" He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of the human girl on top of the king who was seemingly groping her.

Yes, quite an awkward sight.

Jareth looked at his placed hands then the intruding goblin.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Uhhh…" The goblin gulped, obviously embarrassed. Jareth still hadn't removed his hands but Anne didn't seem to care, she was busying gawking at the goblin, trying hard to stifle her inebriated chuckles.

"Well?"

"Oh right, Uh about the 'people' that brought the girl here. The rabbit, invalid and the Rasgones general"

"What of them?" He had shushed Anne a few times.

"Well…What do we do with them? They did what you told them and no one expected the queen's general to accompany her."

Jareth pondered for a moment, glancing at Anne who was still gaping at the goblin before them. She said so herself she didn't think he was villain, besides if he did do anything to her friends she would most likely, possibly be a tad upset.

"Leave them be" he finally said "they helped bring Anne back and the general won't do a thing without her queen's command." He removed his right hand to scratch the side of his nose then placed it back on Anne's breast.

"Give them one of the spare rooms I don't care" he glowered at the goblin "just leave."

"Y-yes your highness!" He quickly bowed and glanced at Anne before leaving the room with haste. Anne suddenly burst out laughing, almost giving poor Jareth a fright.

"He's so fucking ugly!" She hooted hysterically. Jareth realised she was sitting up on his stomach, and so removed his hands from her chest.

Seeing as he was pinned down, he had no choice but to lie there while Anne was in hysterics. He wondered if all mortals were like this when they were drunk. If so, god help the world.

He noticed the room was silent, excluding the blazing fire. Anne was staring down at him, all hilarity aside.

"What?" He asked, wondering if she was going to have another unexpected outburst. Her hand slowly reached out to his handsome face, fingertips barely touching his cheek.

"You're a beautiful man." She said, daring to touch a stray lock of blonde hair. Jareth raised an amused eyebrow, to be so complimentary towards him she must have consumed more then he suspected.

"Thank you." He smiled, but Anne didn't.

"I wish…I…was pretty." She confessed. Jareth regarded her in the firelight, she looked so troubled and as if she was about to cry.

"Anne, you are pretty. You're very pretty." He reassured her, but the look in her eyes told him she didn't believe him, nor did she at the masquerade.

"Anne" his hand gently clutched hers "why can't you see it?"

Anne didn't respond. She just, gazed down at him, considering what to say, even in her smashed state.

"It's just so hard" she murmured finally "I tired so hard, but I…can't."

"You can't what Anne?" He asked gently. Still she didn't respond to him, as if he wasn't talking at all. She shifted and lowered herself, her head resting in the nook between his neck and shoulder.

"I want to say….I want to tell so badly…but she told me…none of its real..." She breathed warmly down his neck, torturing poor Jareth. And having her hips settled against his didn't help either.

"Who told you what?" He asked softly whilst trying to stifle a groan, fighting back his arousal.

"It's real to me…So…Real to me…." She babbled softly in his shoulder. She shifted ever so slightly, but even that small friction stirred Jareth's loins. He let out a husky breathe. Anne lifted her head, finally giving awareness to Jareth, forehead resting against his.

"Tell me the truth" her hot breath teased his lips "do you hate me?"

He could see in her eyes she was trying not to cry, trying hard to be a big girl. She still had the heart of a child yet the body of a woman.

Her warmth was overwhelming for Jareth and soon, his arousal would be obvious to Anne, even if she was hammered.

"No." He breathed out. He couldn't help himself, he brushed his lips against hers, making her shudder. His hand snaked to the back of her head, bringing her closer into an embracing kiss. Anne was more the happy to oblige, she pulled back slightly so to lick his lower lip.

He smirked, knowing what she wanted. He pulled her close again, slipping his tongue into her mouth, sliding against hers hungrily.

He knew it was wrong to take advantage of her, especially in her state. But she filled him with so much want, so much desire. Twenty one years he spent, considering he was a cruel hearted villain, just as Sarah, the one girl he had loved, saw him.

But Anne, who was nothing like Sarah, who was shy, meek and so self conscious, didn't see him that way. She was honest with him, pointing out his faults when near enough everyone in the Underground praised his 'perfection' just to satisfy him, and to avoid being thrown into the bog.

Yes, Anne was different.

His hand gently travelled down her back, gaining a soft moan from Anne followed by a sharp cry when he squeezed her behind, pressing her down against his growing arousal.

She whimpered and clutched at his shirt, the heat of his lower region igniting her own. She let out a whiny moan and grinded against him, fuelling his excitement even more.

He responded more and stroked her thigh, but stopped when she pulled back slightly, leaving a thin trail of saliva.

She sat up and began to undo the few buttons of her waistcoat. Jareth watched intently when she started on her torn and tattered shirt slowly, somewhat cruel and torturous to Jareth.

The last button came undone, revealing her lacy white bra that concealed the soft, tender caches Jareth ached to behold. Her body trembled at the feel of his leather hands snaking around her curvy waist, slowly trailing up her creamy skin to firmly procure her sensitive breasts. Anne closed her eyes and bit her lower lip as Jareth continued to caress her, bestowing agonising pleasure which she generously returned by grinding heatedly against him.

He grunted, trying to contain himself and slid his hands around her back. He found what he was searching for and fumbled with the hooks of her bra to witness part of her womanly glory.

But he stopped.

Anne had shown respect towards him, giving her sincere outlook of him even if it wasn't the most praising, but nor was it disdaining. If he took advantage of her now, it would all be a blatant lie.

"I'm sorry…" He removed his hands and placed them on Anne's hips to stop her moving. She looked down at him a little baffled.

"I can't, I'm sorry." Anne tilted her head suspiciously.

"…Why?"

"Well…" He found it hard to think straight due to still feeling so horny.

"…You're drunk Anne, very drunk-"

"I ain't drunk Gareth!"

"Jareth."

"Whatever…" She slurred. He sighed and continued.

"Anyway, you blatantly don't know what you're doing. It would be wrong of me to take advantage of you, so we can't…" He couldn't say the word without descriptive images forming in his mind, turning him on even more. He hoped Anne would know what he meant.

"…Okey doke then." She said to his dismay, unable to believe she wasn't as sexually affected as he was now.

"Oh, well then…" he glanced at the thirteen hour clock "it's getting quite late, you should be getting some rest now."

"Okey doke." She said again but made no effort to move, Jareth removed his hands from her hips but still didn't budge.

"…Jareth?"

"Yes?"

"…Can I sleep with you?"

This did not help with the poor king's libido.

"That…That wouldn't be wise Anne.

"Oh please?"

"Anne you can't."

"Please?!"

"It wouldn't-"

"PLEASE?!" She screamed and startled Jareth, who would have fallen off the couch if he wasn't still pinned down.

"Alright, alright! You can sleep in my room." Anne gave a triumphant little grin.

"But you have to get off me, and no more screaming, ok?"

"Okey doke." She whispered and slide down, causing friction to his groin. He silently cursed to himself. Anne slipped off his feet, giving him his freedom. As he stood up Anne started giggling, he raised a curious eyebrow.

"What's so funny?"

Still giggling hysterically, she pointed to the bulge in his tights. He looked down to see he had an erection.

"Bloody hell…" He mumbled. Anne continued to giggle but then became silent when Jareth shot a frown at her.

"…Jareth?" She asked meekly.

"What now?" He sighed. He was beginning to see how obnoxiously annoying she was when drunk.

"Carry me." She asked like an adolescent girl, making Jareth feel like her parent, a thought he wasn't fond of.

"Young lady, you are capable of carrying yourself."

"Pleeeease?" She whined.

"No."

"Pretty please?!"

"I said no-"

"PLEASE?!" She screamed again, making Jareth wince.

"Fine, fine! Just stop screaming!" He sighed and picked her up bridal style, thankfully she wasn't that heavy in weight, but much in irritation.

As Jareth walked out the study and down the warped corridors, Anne made a feeble attempt of singing 'Oo ee oo oo ah! Ting tang walla walla bing bang!" much to Jareth displeasure. He made a note to hide all alcoholic beverages.

He kicked open the double doors leading to his room, by then Anne was drowsy. Jareth sighed with relief and placed her down on his king sized bed, took a moment to regard her then strolled over to the open window.

The full moon lit up the dark sky along with numerous stars, twinkling like little gems. He looked down at his sleeping city, as grotesque as it was it was quite a pleasant sight in the moonlight. He then looked to the distance. He could just make out the junk heap. Surprisingly even that looked marvellous in the night light.

He looked down at himself, his erection almost diminished. To think, one girl caused him so much hassle, one girl who obviously couldn't handle her drink. As he said many times to himself, Anne was very unpredictable.

Thinking of bothersome girls made him think of Sarah and where she was in life now. Most likely got married and had some kids, probably even forgotten about the Underground and her peculiar friends.

And him.

He had missed her so much, even if she never returned her affection he did. He had never felt so…Heartbroken.

Thinking about it, he had sworn to himself those many years ago to never let an outsider into his Labyrinth again. No matter how many wished and yearned with the magic words, he refused to answer them and yet, he had answered Anne's wish.

He tried to recall why. Out of boredom? He was always bored.

When the wish was made he had over looked Anne who, at the time, seemed fairly normal. Normal life, normal friends, normal environment, he found out her parents were divorced but that seemed sort of common nowadays, other then that she seemed to be an average girl. But he discovered, despite all this, she seemed so…Sad.

At first he presumed it was her parent's separation, divorce could have a lot of effect on not just the parents but the offspring. But that didn't seemed to be the issue since he also discovered she was fond of her parent's new partners, even a little stepsister from her mother's side she loved to entertain.

No, it was something much deeper. She seemed so lonely, so full of sorrow, so…Self loathing.

The exact way he had felt.

"WAIT A MO SUNSHINE!"

He jumped and swore at Anne's sudden screech. He whipped round to see her sitting upright.

"Shi…Fu…What's wrong with you now?!" He exclaimed.

"I don't want to get your bed dirty." She said jumping off. He was about to ask what she meant but his jaw froze when he saw her shirt and waist coat fall to the floor. His eyes travelled down to see her unbuckling her belt. She dropped it to the ground then wriggled out of her jeans. Her underwear was also lacy with a little pink ribbon on the front.

His eyes travelled up and down her body, she wasn't skinny like most women he had seen but nor was she fat, in fact she had quite a nice curvy figure for someone her age. He noticed she had a mole on her left hip and wondered if she had more on her body.

"Night, night Jarry!" She smiled and crawled under the bed covers. The wine had completely got to her and was out like a light.

Jareth gazed at the sleeping silhouette in his bed. To think, he was going to have to sleep right next to her.

"Good grief…" He looked down to see he was once again gaining an erection. He sighed, not much he could do now, he didn't particularly want to dunk himself in freezing cold water and masturbation was out of the question with Anne in the room. He sighed again and began to undress, first carefully taking off his tights as to not graze his throbbing manhood. Normally he slept in the nude but left his poet shirt on, after all he didn't wasn't to frighten the poor girl in the morning.

He crept under the cushy covers opposite her and watched her sleep for a while, thinking of all the hassle this 'timid' woman had been.

Oh well he thought, her reaction would be worth it in the morning.

He smirked and soon, like Anne, drifted off to sleep.


	15. In which Soho is the place

Whoa hoo this ones a long chapter! Why? Cus chapter 16 will be dedicated to Hero and Louari

Enjoy

**Chapter 15: In which Soho is the place**

What do you dream of? Would it differ whether you were a boy or girl, man or woman? Like rainbows, unicorns and striking princes or dashing knights, a somewhat obvious stereotype for the feminine gender, or perhaps dragons, weaponry, blood gore adventure and sexy damsels, a more masculine fantasy?

But if you ponder for a moment, how are you to know that it works like that? For all we know some lad right now, whatever age, could be dreaming about riding some frilly unicorn over a gumdrop rainbow while some lass dreamt of slaying the world's almighty beast in a blood sprayed venture.

Or simply getting shit faced and not remembering what happened.

Well whatever dream Anne had, it was intruded on by an agonising head pain. She groaned and wearily lifted her hand to her head, not daring to open her eyes to invite in more agony from the morning light.

Now Anne was no stranger when it came to a tipple, she'd have a glass or two now and again, being cautious of her limits and weight gain of course. But never has she been so hammered to forget what she did the night before!

Racking her memory only made her headache worse. She groaned again and turned over to be greeted by a vague yet comforting warmth. She snuggled closer to whatever it was and caught a whiff that was also soothing, like mid summer candles with just a hint of peach.

She hazily remembered that scent from somewhere, but with her hangover it was hard to know. Regardless, she tried to go back to sleep, but after a moment or two of trying, she felt something on her thigh. At first she thought it was just her nerves acting up due to new movement but found it to have weight when she ever so slightly moved her leg. Seeing as she had to find out what the hell it was, she resignedly opened her eyes to have the bright light stinging her eyes. When her vision focused she peered down at her thigh, ignoring the heat source next to her, to see to her utter bewilderment that there was a hand on her thigh.

She sharply inhaled. What the fuck happened last night she wondered apprehensively, more to the question who the fuck's hand was that?!

Her query was answered when she turned to the form next to her. All colour drained from her face when she saw it was Jareth, sleeping away with a slight smirk on his face. All colour then returned but to bright red when she came to consider what he might have done to her, or rather with her.

So she did what any other half naked woman who just woke up with a hangover next to someone you didn't remember agreeing going to bed with would do. She screamed hysterically.

It was quite convenient that Jareth's room was magically sound proof so no one in the castle could hear the morning screech. Too bad for Jareth though.

He promptly sat up and swore, snapping his head in all directions to whatever was going on in a blind panic. But when he came into Anne's direction, who had edged herself to the edge of the bed, his eyes narrowed in annoyance as well as exhaustion.

"Why in the bloody Underground" he groggily rubbed the bridge of his nose "must you scream like a throttled pixie?" Calm as his tone was, a hint of exasperation could easily be detected.

"Wh…what are you doing here?!" She exclaimed angrily. Jareth yawned as he propped himself up with his elbow.

"I believe Miss Duchess, that this is my room." He said casually. Anne quickly scanned the room, recognising the few items from her previous 'hallucinated' visit.

"Then why the hell am I in your room?!" The added temper to her headache made her feel quite dizzy and nauseous.

"You don't remember anything?" He raised an eyebrow in amusement. Something Anne was far off from feeling.

"What? No."

"Nothing" his eyes travelled down "at all?"

Her brow furrowed to wondering what he was staring at. She glanced down and found, to her horror, she was half naked.

"OH JESUS!" She went to grab for the covers but resulted in falling off the bed instead with her feet hanging in the air. Jareth tried to retain himself from laughing at her expense. He was a gentleman after all.

Anne scrambled upright and peered over the edge of the bed, grabbing and holding the covers to her chest.

"W-where are my…why?!...Oh god!!" She burbled uncontrollably. Jareth would've taken amusement if it weren't for the distressed look on her pale face, making her hangover even worse. He took it as a sign she was about to retch when she clamped her hand over her mouth to stop her whimpering jibber. Jareth sighed and ran his fingers through his messy but gorgeous mullet. He really didn't need this in the morning.

"Don't even think of vomiting on my bed young lady." He reproved and sat up to reach over to his bedside table. Anne caught a glimpse, as the bed sheets folded over, of his bare legs with as it seemed, no trace of hair whatsoever. She wondered if he was wearing underwear and what sort.

She quickly diverted her gaze when he turned back to her, holding a brandy glass with a vile looking yellowish green liquid in it.

"Drink it. It'll help with your hang over." He said. At first she didn't take him seriously but the look on his face said different so she reluctantly climbed onto the bed, still holding the covers up and took the glass.

The odour was as disgusting as it looked, like the bog of eternal stench. He bottom lip wobbled as she lifted the glass to her mouth, bravely taking a gulp. She immediately gagged and viciously wiped her mouth.

"How is this supposed to help it tastes like shi-"

"Drink it." He said strictly. Anne made a loathsome face but downed the rest of the foul contents while pinching her nose.

She set the glass down on the other bedside table and wiped her mouth whilst glowering at Jareth

"You are a horrid, horrid man." She murmured. Fortunately Jareth saw the funny side to this.

"Well there's an eye opener" he chuckled "how's your head?"

"Oh…" Through her emotional flurry she hadn't actually realised her head ache was gone, course the downside now was that a nasty taste lingered in her mouth.

"A lot better thanks. But did it really have to taste so…vile?"

"No" Jareth replied nonchalantly, taking note of the appalled look on her face "but maybe now you'll learn not to drink to such a great extent, especially of **my** vintage wine." Anne would have retorted if she knew what to say, instead she scowled and blushed furiously.

"You know, you can be quite obnoxious when inebriated young lady, and loud."

"Well excuse me, I didn't ask to come in here!" She snapped.

"On the contrary love" a sultry smirk appeared on his face "you did."

"Eh…" Her mouth became ajar in confusion and mortification.

"In fact you practically begged, not to mention graciously stripping for me." Being too traumatically overwhelmed, Anne's grip became loose on the bed sheets. They fell and, once again, revealed her cutesy bra.

"Well, more or less." He added, giving her chest a pleased look. Anne on the other hand was knocked for six, from what she just heard she must have been wasted to the max as she could never imagine herself to be that bold.

"But I…we…?" She mumbled meekly. Seeing as she was half naked and in bed with Jareth it didn't take much imagination to what must have happened.

"You needn't worry Anne. I didn't 'deflower' you." Jareth smirked, getting the gist of what she was thinking.

"Really? Truthfully?" She asked hesitantly, Jareth nodded.

"Oh thank god!" She cried out with relief, which didn't last when she saw the offended look on his face.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that, I um…" Her eyes darted around the room in hope of finding something to change the subject. First thing she noticed were that her clothes were no where to be seen.

"Um, where are my clothes?"

"I had them thrown away."

"What?!" She exclaimed and abruptly stood up.

"Well Anne you have to agree that they did look quite a state. And that was before they were even raggedy." He said, making Anne turn an angry shade of red, after all she took pride in her attire.

"Says a grown man who wears tights!" She rejoined crossly. "What the hell am I supposed to wear?!"

"Well" his eyes travelled up and down her figure "you're fine as you are now." He grinned pleasantly. Anne though, wasn't amused.

"Oh" She titled her hips to the side and folded her arms "you honestly expect me to walk around, half naked, all day?!"

His grin became wider.

"Jareth!!"

"Fine, fine." He sighed and pointed towards to the vanity chest. She glanced to where he was pointing then gave him a look of suspicion. She heard Jareth mumbled "Such a pity" as she walked over to the table and mirror. On the small velvet stool was a pretty pink and ivory Victorian dress, neatly folded. Next to the stool was a pair of simple ivory shoes. Miraculous, she was quite fond of pink, how Jareth knew, remained indefinite to her.

"Do you like it?" He asked "The colours suit you well."

"Oh, yes." She carefully picked up the items. "Thank you." She smiled sheepishly.

"You're welcome."

Her eye contact with him was only brief; through her aggression and attitude she still seemed to have that docile tendency. Jareth though, found her hint of clarity quite sweet and probably would have been a picture of innocence if it weren't for recalling her 'performance' the previous night, and that she was only in her under garments.

"Um, where can I change?" She finally said whilst gently swinging her arm holding the shoes.

"What's wrong with changing right here?" He smirked teasingly.

Anne narrowed her eyes. If looks could kill, the room would indeed have been a bloody massacre. Jareth took this as a tip-off that he went too far.

"Behind you." He indicated before she could retort. Anne turned her head to see a wooden door with a brass knob. She looked back at Jareth and scowled.

"Thanks." She murmured and turned on her heel.

"Oh, you might want to bathe as well Anne, you smell quite pungent." Jareth called out. Anne responded by giving him quite a rude finger gesture before purposely slamming the door. Jareth chuckled. Somehow going through half the night of hellish arousal seemed worth the entertainment.

He turned his gaze to the window. The position of the bright sun foretold it was afternoon. Frankly he should have been up hours ago, tending to his kingdom's needs, not that he really paid heed to, nor would he to the suspicion of his grotesque minions that would most likely occur. Supposedly it went to show that he enjoyed Anne's company, even if she was unconventional.

It was then that a wayward thought struck him. His mouth curved into a devious smirk as he summoned a crystal ball. Chances were that she'd be in the bathroom for a while, very fortunate for what Jareth was about to carry out. He glanced momentarily at the wooden door then set focus on the hazy orb, within it was a like a blur of smoke, slowly forming an image of his heart's desire.

The first to come to view was Anne's underwear on the stone floor.

His smirk descended slightly, seeing as how he missed the 'unveiling' of Miss Duchess, that occurrence became petty when the crystal then showed Anne cleansing in the porcelain bathtub. She hummed lightly as she lathered her hair, oblivious of the prying eyes of Jareth who watched on with great relish.

True it was quite unruly of him misusing his powers that way, but when you've been alone for as long as Jareth without feminine company, you tend to develop certain needs. Of course, if he did this to any of the other women in the Underground he would have been found out in a heart beat since a great percentage of females had magical attributes, including Queen Kitara. But seeing as Anne was a mortal, he needn't worry about getting caught.

Anne finished lathering her hair and submerged under the fragrant water. She reappeared seconds later and ran her fingers through her wet auburn hair to remove from her eyes. Droplets from stray strands dripped and rolled down her slender shoulders, returning to their liquid element.

"Oh how you turn my world…" Jareth murmured as Anne raised a shapely leg to scrub and resumed humming. He held the crystal up to the sunlight, admiring her seen physique from a different perspective whilst noticing a small mole on her calf.

He was so fixated that when a loud knock came upon his door, he dropped the crystal onto the bed and the vision of Anne disappeared.

"What is it?!" He snapped in exasperation. Yes, sexual frustration could be a terrible thing.

"Your highness" said a coarse goblin voice "it's the Rasgones queen. She wishes to speak with you, now." Jareth winced slightly in silent rage, twice now she had bothered him at the most awkward of times. Still, he had no choice but to swallow his pride.

"Tell the queen…I'll be with her momentarily." He said with great detestation. He heard the goblin totter off and sighed. He sauntered over to his wardrobe, considering what outfit to wear whilst wondering how to converse with the woman.

Blatantly she was here on Anne's behalf, insistent on having a conference with her. Of course with Jareth involved, fulfilling that ambition would be far from simple.

He finished changing into his attire and headed for the double doors, but not before glancing at the bathroom door.

"Such a pity." He sighed and left the bedroom.

Anne emerged from the bathtub at that precise moment. She let out a satisfied sigh as she stepped onto the cool floor and reached for the fluffy white bath towel, wrapping it around her torso.

The bathroom, Anne noticed, didn't seem any different then any other part of the stony castle, except that it looked a lot cleaner. While busy regarding this, she slipped up in a puddle of water and lost her balance, resulting in the collision of the bathroom shelf. She hissed a large array of swear words when something dropped onto her head and clattered on the floor. With a sigh of infatuation she picked up a container whilst rubbing her head, the label read 'Drying powder'.

For a moment she could have sworn she read about this item in some fantasy novel, but she put it to the back of her mind and opened up the container to fiddle with the contents with her index finger, some of the powder spilt from the side and onto the floor but amazingly, it instantly dried up a small pool of water.

"Cool." She took a small amount and sprinkled some onto her hair and like the puddle, became dry. For the hell of it, she dropped the towel and dusted more onto her body leaving her skin, and hair, soft and silky with a mild scent that reminded her of Jareth. She smiled unknowingly and picked up the towel to hang back up. She went to pick up her underwear as well but noticed that they had 'disappeared'.

Bloody Jareth she thought, considering that he probably picked out lingerie for her as well. Now as you know, Anne has watched Labyrinth countless times and is able to remember every detail of what happens, even the smallest of details that would have not been spotted so easily the first time. And for anyone being a fan, they'd believe that they've pretty much summed up Jareth's personality, but never, until recently, had Anne ever taken to consideration that Jareth could be a tad bit…perverted.

Well it just goes to show; men were men, even in the Underground.

So completely naked, she strolled over to another room where she left her dress and shoes. This was a changing room with a screen for privacy and, not much to Anne's surprise or pleasure, an array of mirrors bordered around the room. She gently unfolded the dress that she left of a velvet padded stool. Folded inside the dress were a pair of white stockings and, just as she suspected, pink bra and panties which were conveniently her size. She brooded over whether to thank him or thwack him round his ego inflated head.

Nevertheless, she slipped the under garments on with ease, but as for the dress, it was quite a challenge to find what went where, how it was done up, how the frills went, but eventually she succeeded and gazed at her reflection.

Seeing herself in this exquisite dress made her feel she was in the Victorian era. The square neckline stopped just above her breasts, the bodice hugged her curvy waist in a way that even she found appealing and the frills of her sleeves covered two thirds of her forearms. The soft material gathered at the back, giving her dress elegant folds that almost reached to the floor just as her masquerade gown did. Anne never believed dresses did any justice for her, but even she had to admit that she looked quite pretty, but for her to fully believe so she needed another person's opinion. With one last look she slipped on her pink shoes and carefully walked out, but on discovering she was alone, she became fairly disappointed.

She drifted over with a pout to the bedraggled bed to sit upon, only to be startled when she felt something digging into her behind. She stood up to see it was one of Jareth's crystals; curiously she picked it up with wonder of why he would leave such a thing. She peered into it, expecting to see her very fantasises but to add more disappointment, she saw nothing.

Her sudden startle almost made her drop it on account of hearing a grudging but pleasantly familiar voice.

"Anne you lazy bitch, get out of bed!" That was Malice for sure.

"Señorita, wakey wakey! Despertarse!" She heard Hero banging but on a door, she furrowed her brow.

"Would you both PLEASE stop making so much noise?" She heard Louari hiss in what sounded like agony. Anne crept up to the double doors and opened them a crack.

"No one asked you to get a fucking hangover." Malice said to her, Louari slid her hand down her face.

"Well I wouldn't have one if this idiot didn't keeping refilling me!" She pointed at Hero who looked on with innocence.

"What? You seem fine to me before."

"Yes. But that was because I was DRUNK YOU IDIOT!"

"No shit." Malice mumbled. He began to scratch on the door which he thought was Anne's.

"Anne, get your big ass out here now!"

"Oi!" Without thinking she pushed the door wide open. All three heads turned to look upon Anne in shock and bewilderment. As it turned out, the room Anne was 'supposedly' in was opposite of Jareth's room. It came no surprise to her that the corridors changed just like the Labyrinth, especially for this inconvenience.

Anne froze there as they regarded her, then back at the door, back to her, then the door. This went on for a moment before someone actually spoke.

"…Señorita, why you in Rey Jareth's bedroom?" Hero asked whilst scratching his head. Anne opened her mouth but then closed it again. How in the Underground was she going to explain this? Even she didn't know what actually happened.

"Well I…Funny thing is that…"

"You humped like rabbits?" Louari asked, gaining an irate look from Malice on account of the pun. Hero on the other hand looked lost with thought.

"I no understand."

Louari shook her head but said nothing, Malice snorted at his stupidity.

"Dumb ass, what do you think a man and woman do in a bedroom, alone together?"

Hero's mind whirred like rusty cogs, his eyes squinting like it was a big strain, his mouth twitched slightly. Malice and Louari rolled their eyes and sighed in frustration. Anne frowned and narrowed her eyes.

"Okay think of it this way" Malice said before Hero could hurt himself "what would YOU do with a woman in a bedroom?"

A moment passed before it finally clicked. A wide smirked grew on his face. He sniggered and looked at Anne, making him giggle more with perverted thoughts. Anne blushed, knowing what the only thing on his mind was.

"W-what are you…? No! No I-"

"Jesus Anne, I told you to talk to him not fuck him!" Malice exclaimed. After all, despite all the teasing, Anne rather much seemed like a prude.

"I didn't! I did talk him to Jareth and-"

"Sex." Malice coughed, Hero giggled.

"No! I got drunk and-"

"Sex."

"Shut up! I fell asleep and-"

"Sex."

"NO WE DIDN'T!" She stomped her foot and bellowed.

"Oh? Then what happened?" They all waited for an answer.

"I…" Anne flushed with embarrassment "…Don't know." This was followed by an awkward pause.

"One word; sex." Malice mumbled. The mere mention of the word made Hero giggle uncontrollably.

"Shut it! We didn't and I'll prove it!" She slammed the double doors shut. "We'll ask Jareth, where is he?"

"He with sexy reina Kitara." Hero replied. Anne saw Louari narrow her eyes at him, but he was far too simple minded to notice.

"Oh." Anne said anxiously. Was she here for her again she wondered?

"Woo, woo! You look muy caliente señorita." Hero complimented, noticing Anne's different attire.

"Thank you." Anne blushed then twirled for them. "Jareth gave it to me."

"So you stripped for him too? And here we thought you were a killjoy." Malice said.

"I did not!" She snapped, although technically she did.

"Whatever. Anyway, we came here to take you to a fruit orchard in glitter pant's garden."

"Garden?" Anne couldn't imagine there being a patch of grass let alone a garden in such a grotesque place.

"Sí, we no eat yet so vayamos!" Hero urged her along the corridor. And of course, she had to carry Malice, again. She noticed for some reason that he only seemed to let her carry him around, but she didn't ponder much about it, instead she to the time to observe her friends as they strolled through the staircase Labyrinth. Hero seemed happy and perky as always, no surprise there. But Louari on the other hand seemed…Miserable. It was probably the hangover's doing but from the grim look on her face, she had some kind of trouble on her mind.

"Louari, are yo-" She yelped and winced in pain before she could finish. She looked down to see Malice digging his claws into her hand and giving her a look of warning.

"Yes?" Louari murmured.

"Um…Never mind.

Anne couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the garden, within the stone grey walls of the goblin city, there was actually a sanctuary of lush green. A few trees stood nearby, processing juicy and delicious looking fruit, one in particular bearing peaches. These mighty plants shaded the array of the most vivid and beautiful flowers Anne had ever seen.

"My goodness…" She whispered in awe, walking further into the stunning haven, discovering they weren't alone. There existed wildlife that Anne had never seen before, a humming bird flew by but was striped with yellow and black with long antennas, much like a bumble bee, it even sounded like one.

She giggled like an excited child and yearned to explore more, but the beckoning of her name made her put her desired venture on hold.

Hero was sitting on a thick branch of a peach tree, picking out the ripe fruit it bared, Louari stood under the tree, staring at nothing in particular. Anne wished to console her but remembering Malice's look on caution made her have second thoughts, whatever it was it must have been pretty bad.

"Señorita, you catch sí?" Hero threw down a peach to her. With her free hand she caught it along with a slight stumble.

"Hey you ass bag, where's mine?!" Malice called to him but was ignored. With the branch supporting his legs, Hero was hanging upside facing Louari, blatantly showing off for her.

"I pick one lovely as you novia." He said graciously offering the scrumptious fruit. Louari regarded the peach then him. Anne expected some witty insult from her to confuse the poor love struck fool but strangely enough, she remained mute. She turned her back on him and walked off, leaving the three behind.

"Novia? Nov-" Hero's legs slipped and tumbled head first to the ground, Anne gasped but Malice just muttered.

"Novia where you go?!" Hero pushed himself up, undamaged thanks to his thick skull.

In a way, his stupidity was a blessing.

"Novia Louari why you leave me?!" He stumbled and ran, calling out to her. Anne watched the scene unfold, then disappear as he vanished though a thick of bushes.

"Fucking idiot." Malice mumbled and shook his head in a way a rabbit would.

"What was that about?" She asked. Louari's dislike for Hero was obviously clear but she didn't think she was mean enough to give him the cold shoulder. Sure Hero was somewhat of a freakish simple minded perv but the guy did mean well. Malice mumbled again and pawed at his face to sooth and itch.

"Alright, but you didn't hear shit from me." He began. Anne sat down against the tree, expecting to hear a lengthy explanation.

"To put it bluntly meat sack: they fucked." He said as a matter of fact. Anne took a moment in silence to let it sink it. Surely she had misheard him.

"W-what?...Hero and Louari…."

"Like hungry dogs."

Surely that sounded wrong, very wrong.

"While you were having your 'talk' with glitter pants, she got wasted. And man do I mean wasted, that shit they drink is strong."

"_Don't remind me."_ She thought. Now it seemed to make sense how Louari would let someone like Hero touch her.

"So Hero was wasted too?"

"Fuck no, that idiot could handle it like a pro I can tell you." He said with a hint of admiration.

"Anyway, she tried to keep up with him, but after a while got a little…how do I put it? ….Horny with the bastard. Next thing you know they're at it on the floor."

"On the…In front of…?"

"Yep, in front of the goblins. Whooping like hell. Of course, she doesn't remember a thing and Hero…Well you see how damn happy he was."

"Wow." Was all Anne could say. No wonder she looked so dejected. It made her think of her similar situation the previous night; she believed Jareth when he said he didn't touch her but still it made her wonder what had stopped him.

"She found out because some goblins hooted at her about it. Poor bastards won't be walking for a while. Figured she'd go fucking psycho again if you asked her what's wrong, so I saved your abnormally huge ass." Anne ignored tat last part with great detest.

"Poor Louari." She murmured, truly feeling sorry for her. To be taken advantage of like that and not know must have made her so sick and frightened. And whether Hero was to blame she couldn't decide. Although did look utterly confused when she brushed him off without insult, and besides Anne knew deep down he would never go as low as to rape someone.

They both began to find the subject a little touchy so they sat in silence, enjoying the bliss of the fruitful haven. Anne almost forgot she was still clutching the peach Hero had given her. It had been a while since she ate so without thinking whether it was jinxed or whatnot she took a bite out of it. Instantaneously the succulent flesh replenished her appetite, and that was just from a single bite. No wonder Jareth had such a slim figure.

"Hey, give me some!" Malice demanded. Anne felt she couldn't take another bite so didn't bother to argue, she held it out for him, being careful not to stain her dress with the luscious juice. She took amusement in watching his pink nose wiggle as he sniffed cautiously at the peach before nibbling away like….well like a rabbit would.

She smiled lovingly. Despite his harsh and unruly manner and constant swearing, she found him to be quite adorable, especially in these rare moments.

Her eyes glided about the surrounding, savouring the beauty of this unusual yet spectacular sanctuary.

"Hey, Anne?" Malice said after a while with a hint of discomfort.

Hmm?"

"Look….If…..If you say that you didn't shack up with Jareth, I believe you." Anne knew this was coming. He always sounded uncomfortable when being sincere.

"We were only kidding around with you. And besides, you don't seem to be that type of girl."

Anne smiled warmly.

"Um…Not that it's shitty crime if you did" He paused a moment to relieve an itch behind his ear "after all, he pretty much likes you. Why else would he keep you here?" Anne didn't bother to answer this as it would lead into a childish argument of her and Jareth's affection for one another, as always. Truthfully she didn't know what position they were in. He hasn't even told her his outlook of her let alone saying he loved her.

"You…are staying here, right?" He inquired.

"Oh…" Anne hadn't even thought about going back to the Aboveground. She was still bound to the rules of Jareth and the Underground and eventually, her friends and family would forget about her, just as queen Kitara said.

Of course, she didn't mind the slightest about living in the Underground. But still…

"I haven't really given it a lot of thought, but I guess I have to since I failed the Labyrinth. Oh, not that I mind. I love it here."

"That's good" Malice mumbled, thankful she couldn't see his relieved smile.

"Because that-" His ear twitched slightly, Anne didn't notice.

"Gotta go." He hopped down from her lap.

"Where are you going?"

"Well you don't want me pissing on your dress do you?"

"Oh, carry on then."

Malice scampered out of sight, leaving Anne all alone.

"Peace and quite." She sighed contentedly and discarded the half nibbled peach. She settled down comfortably against the tree and took another admiring glance of her surroundings. Just then a lion strolled by. At least, it looked like a lion but instead of golden brown fur, it was bright yellow. Its mane was made up of yellow petals and at the end of its spring green tail was a flower with a faint but familiar scent.

She giggled at realising it was a **Dandelion**. It lazily turned its head to gaze upon the human girl. It twitched its ears before slumping away.

She began to feel lazy herself and let her eyes flicker shut. Never had she felt so peaceful, nothing like home at all. Maybe living her life in the Underground would be best for her…

"Relaxed are we, young lady?"

Anne recognised the voice to be Jareth's. She opened her eyes to see him kneeling down in front of her.

"Hello Jareth." She smiled gaily at the striking king who graciously returned the gesture.

"Hello. I thought I'd find you here." He looked around in his garden. A spider monkey was busy making its web, waiting to catch a horse fly whose whinny neigh was becoming irritating.

"I apologise for leaving you this morning" he said courteously, putting a hand to his chest "but I had some unexpected business to take care of."

"No its fine really, don't worry about it." Obviously he didn't want to inform her it was the queen that he dealt business with so to not worry Anne. He smiled gladly. He extended his hand out to her.

"Stroll with me." His voice could make the sturdiest of those tremble, so for Anne to refuse would be inexcusable. She offered him her hand without hesitation, letting him link arms with her to guide her further into the scenic garden. Along the way Anne saw more wondrous plants and animals, who all cautiously watched them as they walked through the forest like greenery, most likely pondering who the female was with the king of Goblins. What kind of creature was she? Was she his queen?

Anne ridiculed the thought of anyone thinking she was his betrothed of some kind. I mean the very idea of it, a mortal with an almighty immortal king?

She glanced up at Jareth whose expression was composed as always. But when he noticed her coy gaze he presented her with a beloved smile. She looked away, wishing she didn't take the chance. She hated how she would blush like a little school girl with a crush.

"I want to show you my favourite place." He led her to a plant enriched location which consisted of a crystal clear pound and a stone fountain with an eroded goblin statue, sprouting water from its mouth as if it was retching. Very attractive.

"Oh my goodness…" She awed when she gazed into the pond which was the habitat of the most beautiful koi fish. Unusual but beautiful. The lower part of the carp's body became a feathery texture rather then glossy scales, their tail fins were a large feather, each having their own colour.

"They're Cocktail Koi, quite rare but make exquisite pets." He said whilst sprinkling in some fish flakes. In an instant they all gathered, swimming and gulping about for their flaky delicacy. A few that were satisfied bobbed their heads up.

"What are they doing?" Anne asked as one orange carp bobbed about and stared at her.

"They like to be petted." He gently stroked one on its head with his index finger. Once the koi was content it ducked its head back under and swam away.

"Try it, they don't bite if you're afraid."

"Am not." She said stubbornly in a childish manner. Hesitantly she reached out her finger to touch the tip of the koi's head. Blatantly it was wet but felt smooth and silky. It startled her by splashing about, only to have its yellow tail emerge. Anne looked at Jareth for an answer.

"It wants you to stroke its tail."

"Oh…" She gently dragged her fingers across the feather which also felt silky soft. Feeling satisfied it submerged back into the water to rejoin its friends.

"Seems that one's taken a liking to you" Jareth said with slight surprise and amusement "normally they don't like their tail being touched." One flicked its tail out to Jareth.

"Of course, they let me come in contact." He said almost smugly.

"Oh of course." she rolled her eyes at his conceit. "Anyway, thank you for bringing me here Jareth. It's amazing."

"You're very welcome" he smiled and twirled his finger in the water "this garden is more or less a retreat for me, otherwise I'd lose my mind with the sheer tedium of being king."

"What do you mean?" She enquired. To her, the Underground was anything but boring.

"Well Anne, its not exactly glamorous being the king of a city horde of delinquents" he sighed "you may find the Underground grand but I've been here for centuries. Nothing comes as a surprise to me."

Anne remained silent and stared at her reflection in the water. Supposedly when you lived in a place long enough it does tend to get tedious. She should know, compared to the Underground, the Aboveground wasn't exactly spectacular.

"Well, if you weren't king, what would you do?" She asked. Jareth gaped at her as if she just lost her mind.

"….You are a strange young girl." Anne opened her mouth in offence but then closed it again and narrowed her eyes.

"Beg your pardon, why am I strange?!"

"Because Miss Duchess" she began to find his constant use of her last name to be irritating "no one has ever asked me such a question before."

"And? It just means I'm curious of how you tick, Goblin king." He gave her a slight leering look.

"I see, well then…" He pondered this for a moment whilst rubbing his chin. Anne folded her arms patiently, curious to know what his long life desire is, finally he gave his answer.

"Well, I have always been fond of the idea of living in Soho."

"Soho?"

"Yes, in the Aboveground in what do you call it, London?"

"Oh." Anne murmured in surprise. Never would it have occurred to her that Jareth desired living the simple life, and in the Aboveground of all places.

"But why?" Jareth merely shrugged.

"I've always found it to be an interesting place to live, and it would be nice to live amongst others who don't all have the IQ of a deranged hob goblin." She was about to ask what the difference was between an average goblin and a hob goblin, but then remembered what the queen had said about the Underground and Jareth.

Mere fantasy.

"Oh, but…" Jareth already knew, right? So really there would be no point of telling him, would there?

"What's the matter?" But still, she was hesitant of how he would react upon hearing.

"Um…Well, you know when I was with the queen?"

"Yes." He replied patiently.

"Well…She told me that the Underground, my friends, and you weren't…"

"Weren't?"

"…weren't real."

Jareth's eyebrows rose by a centimetre. Then, ever so slowly, a smirked formed on his face along with an amused chuckle. He put a hand to his mouth to suppress the laugh as to not offend the young lady. But Anne was more baffled then incensed.

"So that's what you were rambling on about last night." He chuckled whilst remembering her drunken escapade. Still sniggering, he sauntered over to the fountain and sat down with grace on the stone ledge. He patted the vacant spot next to him to indicate where she was to sit, with no idea where this was heading she walked over and sat down next to him. For a moment, only the sound of water cascading from the vomiting goblin filled the air.

"Do you believe in the Underground?" He finally asked. Anne blinked at this eccentric question.

"Pardon?"

"Do you believe in the Underground, yes or no?"

"Um, yes." From what she's been through how could she not?

"And do you believe in its inhabitants and your friends?"

"Yes." He leaned in closer to her, Anne stayed frozen on the spot, mesmerised by his mismatched eyes.

"Do you believe in me?"

She began to think that peach she ate earlier was spellbound, gazing at Jareth made her feel light-headed and flushed. Was this a dream then? Truthfully she didn't care.

"Yes."

"Then it's real." He relaxed his posture, observing the blank expression oh the girl's face. Anne blinked several times trying to comprehend.

"Wait…Just like that? It's real?"

"Yes."

"So…What the queen said was a lie?" She said hopefully.

"Not necessarily" he began to explain "it's true that the foundation of the Underground is built on a foundation of fantasia if you will, the part of the realm I created for you was all from your dreams and fantasies, but within your heart you believe in these because it all has a unique meaning to you."

"And…that makes it real?"

"Yes, if you have belief then it's re-." He was thrown of his sentence when Anne seized him. The way she came at him he thought she was going to throttle him. Wouldn't come as a surprise if she did, she'd been indignant at him enough before to do so. But no, she was hugging him, close enough to feel her heartbeat against his chest and to notice her delicate scent. Much to his displeasure she pushed away, realising how she leapt on him like an unhinged fangirl.

"I'm sorry." She murmured bashfully.

"Its fine" he straightened out his attire "just, don't surprise me like that, alright?"

"Okay….Jareth?"

"Yes?" She needed to ask him, she had to know. But gazing at him, into his eyes of earth and sky, she couldn't.

"…Nothing…" She just didn't have the nerve. She stood up and straightened her grown, all the while feeling Jareth's eyes view her.

"I…Have to go look for Malice, sorry." She said and hurried off hastily before Jareth could get a word out. She felt guilty for leaving him there after he had been such a gentleman to her. But despite all this she was glad to learn that the queen was wrong and that the Underground was real. Well, to her anyway at least. And her friends were their own person, doing god knows what while she pondered.

And best of all, what mattered to her whether it was returned or not, was the trembling beat of her heart when she thought of Jareth.

The man she became to know.

The man she became to love.


	16. En son qué tontos amó

Hola, sorry it took me so long to do this.

I do not own Labyrinth or it's characters, If I did Jareth would be tied to my bed!

Characters I own are Hero, Louari, Anne and Malice...and some other ones...

**Chapter 16: En son qué tontos amó**

****

Elsewhere in the serenity of Jareth's luscious precincts, General Louari meandered, paying no heed to the peculiar yet bravura setting. She had too much on her mind to care for its beauty, not after the discovery of her recent drunk affair. And to make it worse, it was in front of an audience of repulsive creatures.

Truthfully she would have probably be better off without knowing, except for the fact that a group of unsightly goblins whooped and hooted at her about it this very morning. Course at first she didn't believe them, until they gave a precise location of a 'mark' left by the fire warlock on a concealed part of her body. She recoiled at the thought of that man touching her, even more at her sadistic behaviour towards the goblins. She'd be lying if she said she was fond of the freakish creatures. But to brutally beat them into a pathetic bloody pulp was totally out of order considering her high position.

She sighed and slid her hand down her face, wishing nothing more then to relieve the taut stress. At first she had blamed her queen for this occurrence. Wanting to return to Rasgones in the first place, she confronted her after her conference with the goblin king. But seeing as Anne was staying at the castle she opposed her request in order for her to keep watch over Anne whilst within Jareth's grasp.

Besides, among her friends Louari seemed to be the…least irresponsible.

"_Well, we all can't be perfect"_ the queen thought at the time with a conceited smile. Louari then of course blamed Hero who insisted on her to keep drinking when clearly she had low alcohol tolerance compared to him, not to mention engaging her into a 'floor show'. But in the end, she realised the only one to blame was herself as she's the only one capable of her own actions, not queen Kitara, not Hero, not anyone's.

It was her own fault.

She leant against a cherry tree, finally letting the acceptance settle within, trying hard to let go of her anxiety. For a moment she fumbled with her breast plate, impatiently seeking out the minuscule fastener of the shapely case to release tension as well as suppressed heat. She let out a sigh of relief when it finally came undone and dropped to the grass with a soft thump. The black vest she wore underneath was somewhat light and flimsy, liberally allowing the breeze to slip through, cooling her tanned skin and just as well, her temper. She gazed lazily at the majestic wildlife in peace, sparing no worries for the constant rustle in the tree branches above.

"_Just the wind." _She figured in silence. To ruin such harmony such as this would be heinous. I mean, only a complete idiot would spoil this for her…

"Hola!" And speak of the devil, Hero appeared suspending upside down on a study (he checked this time) branch.

The sudden emergence made the poor lass jump out of her skin. She stumbled and scrambled away from the flaky minded warlock as if he had some sort of contagious disease. Her shock quickly changed to rage upon seeing his happy-go-lucky face.

"You…you…" No amount of swear words could sum up her resentment "what are you doing here?!"

"Hm? I come find you." He replied, jumping of the tree branch, giving the contemplation of a flexible monkey.

"Why you run from me?"

"Why?!" She regarded the man before her in disbelief. How could he not know? "You should know very well why!"

Hero furrowed his brow. Obviously he didn't.

She groaned in frustration and rubbed her temples. How stupid was this man?

"Ugh! Do you remember last night?!" She asked. His expression was blank.

"After Anne left?!"

Still nothing

"Before the queen of Rasgones came?!"

Finally something clicked, she could tell from the depraved look on his face.

"Ooooh, you mean the 'coito'." He grinned deviously. She rolled her eyes.

"Um, yes." She didn't know exactly what he said but he pretty much seemed to have the idea.

"What about it?"

"What about it?! It shouldn't have happened!" She snapped.

"…..Why?"

Her eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head. How Anne could cope with him for so long was beyond her.

"Ugh, look here!" She stepped up to him. She was a couple inches shorter then him.

"I don't know h- will you stop staring at my breasts!" He quickly diverted his eyes back to hers.

"Sorry." She sighed again.

"As I was saying, I don't know how it is where you come from but here it's considered rape!"

No matter how much she ranted on, his features remained vacant.

"I…no understand?"

"UGH!!" She literally tore at her hair "DO YOU PRACTICE BEING A FUCKWIT?!"

Her abrupt outburst alarmed him. She was never this angry before at him.

"I…do something wrong?"

And to think, it took him this long to realise. How's that for brain power?

"We had drunken rampant sex in front of goblins, **that's** something wrong!! If I hadn't been acting like a complete piss head and knocking them back like water, I wouldn't have gone near you!!" She barked at the poor man.

"Oh, but…" for the first time he spoke meekly "…I…thought that…that you like me."

"Like you, LIKE YOU?!" she stared at him in bewildered disgust. "I CAN'T STAND YOU!! YOU ARE THE MOST ANNOYING, STUCK UP, PERVERTED AND FUCKED UP INDIVIDUAL I'VE EVER MET!! I DON'T SEE WHAT ANYONE LET ALONE WOMEN COULD POSSIBLY SEE IN YOU!!"

She ceased her exasperated hollering, releasing ragged and shaky breaths. That much pent up anger would do that to anyone.

Once again she looked upon him expecting to hear some dumb remark. She was quite taken aback to see that he looked forlorn, practically on the verge of tears. She immediately felt a pang of regret, and so she should too. Even morons like Hero had feelings other then burly lust.

"Oh…I…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that." He had his head bowed, trailing his foot about like a disciplined child, making her feel even guiltier.

"Um…I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's not your fault, I went overboard." Now Louari didn't the same problems Malice had when it came to the more mellow emotions, but from the beginning she had shown dislike towards Hero. After all, he does let off as….well an annoying twank, enough to get under anyone's skin, especially this red head psycho with a fuse smaller then a goblin's intellect.

So to be nice to someone you weren't fond of from the beginning is quite difficult.

"Um, it just got out of hand ok? You understand?" She added on, trying awkwardly to make up for her boorish remarks with compassion.

"Sí, but…" He scratched the back of his head whilst dragging his teeth against his bottom lip.

"I…I love you."

"You what?!" Her eyebrows rose sky high. "Y-you can't be serious, you must be joking!"

"You no believe in love at first sight?" He asked seriously, further embarrassing her.

"O-of course not! Don't be ridicules!" She stammered. She was glued to the spot but avoided the man's lust induced gaze.

"Do you love me?"

"W-w-wha?!" She spluttered, completely gob smacked by his absurd question. Surely she misheard him, I mean they've known each other for what, nearly a day?

"Do-you-love-me?" He repeated slowly. Seeing as she didn't mishear, she blushed greatly, frantically darting her eyes about, hoping no one was prying on this embarrassing prospect.

"U-um…Listen…" she scratched the back of her neck to buy time whilst contemplating what to say.

"…Look…You seem like a really nice guy…in a peculiar sort of way…and I'm flattered, really I am. But…saying that I love you, how can I? We hardly know each other aside our names. You understand, right?"

He nodded with slight dismal, but even so he noticed that technically she didn't say no which kept his optimism intact.

"Sí, but…you at least like me?" He asked hopefully.

"Oh, well…." She didn't want to encourage him by saying yes but at the same time couldn't say no, as she said they hardly knew each other.

"I'm…not sure." She admitted hesitantly. How would he react? He continued to gawk at her like a mindless dope, making her even more uneasy. She would have taken the option of backing up if he hadn't abruptly grabbed her hand.

"Tengo una idea!" He said and yanked her towards the ground in a seating position.

"What are you doing?"

"We talk. Then you know more of me and I know more of you."

"Hero I-"

"Please? If it no make you love me you will at least like me. Por favor?"

She sighed. He was persistent she had to give him that, and besides there's no harm in it right? It's not like she was going to fall for some outlandish womaniser from just conversing with him. It's not like she had much of a choice anyway, he had quite a strong grip.

"Oh alright." Her admitted defeat made him grin with glee. He let go of her hand and positioned himself more comfortably, cross legged.

"Excelente! Ok I go first" he said excitedly "my full name is Hero Amante Fuego, my favourite colour is red and I no like reptiles because they mucho scary."

Louari put a hand to her mouth and tittered.

Anne sniffed another daisy before adding it to her floral chain she spent half an hour making. So far she saw no sign of Malice, nor Hero or Louari. Not that she really minded, she quite liked the alone time to herself, although, she couldn't get her mind off Jareth...

She loved him, she couldn't deny it now, but nor could she own up to him about it. Right now she felt that no amount of confidence in the world could give her the courage confess her devotion to him. Anyhow, wasn't it always the dashing heartthrob that vowed true love to the damsel like in those trashy romance novels?

So in actual fact she had to wait for Jareth to fess up first before returning any affection, didn't she?

"_No, no, no."_ She shook her head. Now she just felt childish for making such lame excuses. And anyway, they pretty much exchanged physical affection. It was just emotional that had to be ticked off.

In reality life was no romantic fairytale, but sometimes, she couldn't help but hope…

Louari let out another burst of laughter after hearing another one of Hero's 'misadventures of the Underground'.

Unaware that they've chatted for hours, she found herself to feel more comfortable around him, though she still jumped whenever he made any kind of gestures with his hands in fear that he might try to grope her but nevertheless, she came across that she didn't dislike as much as she anticipated.

"...And that's when I realise that 'trouser snake' is no reptile." He finishes, taking delight in hearing her giggle once again. He noticed throughout her mirth that she had a habit of covering her mouth when laughing.

"Why you do that?" He asked. Her brow slightly furrowed.

"Do what?"

"When you laugh" he lifted his hand (she flinched once again) to his mouth, mimicking her earlier action "you cover your mouth, why?"

"Oh" She realised what he meant as she had her hand hovering under her chin, she lowered it to her lap "habit I guess, it's…just something I don't do very often. Laugh I mean."

"I like it when you laugh, its pretty." He beamed, making her blush. He liked it when this happen for her face gave a certain glow whenever she did. Also the way her eyes, well eye, gleamed. The subject of her eye patch also made him curious.

"And why you wear patch on your eye? You having no eye there?"

"No, I do have an eye there thank you" she frowned slightly at his constant questioning "but….it's kind of embarrassing…"

"Novia, I just tell you how I have fear of tadpoles and polyester, that muy embarrassing no?" He reminded her, earning a titter.

"Well…" she prodded at the patch bashfully "I…always get a bad case of pink eye."

There was a momentary pause.

"…That all? That no big deal." He said, giving moderate sympathy. Louari's glower wasn't so humble.

"It is for me, it's really embarrassing!"

"Basura, one time I thinking I have STD because I found lump on my pene-"

"Your what?"

He whistled and pointed down. She followed his indication to his lower regions, a moment later she was flushed.

"Oh! You mean your-" She looked up to his gaze. He smirked and waggled his eyebrows to affirm her presumption.

"Um…Was it-"

"No, no, it just swollen vein" he confirmed casually "apparently I-"

"I don't want to know about your…your penne!" She said hastily. How could he be so open about such things?

"No, no, no, no, no" he shook his head disapprovingly "it's pronounced 'pene'."

"Pardon? That's what I said."

"No, no, no, you said 'penne'. It's 'pene'"

"P-pene." She tried best to say fluently, feeling a little foolish for learning to say a certain body part in his foreign tongue.

"Sí, that right, pene." He chuckled at her awkward attempt.

"Oh shut up!" She crossed her arms pouted, feeling he was making fun of her. Hero just smirked, finding her adolescent-like mood adorable.

"So, you gonna take it off?"

"I beg your pardon?!"

"Your eye patch, take it off." He said.

"No, I don't know if it's cleared up yet!"

"Come on I want to see." He went to reach out but she slapped his hand away.

"I said no- HEY!" In seconds he had her pinned down on the lush greenery, restraining her wrists with one strong hand while the other hovered over her left eye.

"Don't you dare!" She hissed. Rather then feeling intimidated he smirked whilst reaching down and gripping the black strap between his index and thumb.

"No, no, no don't!" She shook her head frantically to shake him off, but that only aided him in breaking the band.

"You bastard!" She glowered at him, allowing him to observe her previously masked eye. He narrowed his eyes, making her think it was worse then she alleged.

"Your eye no pink, it same like other eye." He said, giving her a look blatantly saying she got too worked up over nothing. After all, it's not like its life threatening.

"Well…I-it comes and goes." She stated with bashful discomfort. Though his curiosity at ease, he made no attempt to budge.

"Any time you want to get of me, I would really appreciate it!" She said with a hint of vexation, but still he remained couched above her, still holding her wrists.

"You very pretty." She didn't know why, but the way he murmured huskily made her feel…it was hard to describe.

"Oh…Thank you." Her cheeks radiated soft pink the longer he gazed at her. His dark eyes trailed down to her slow heaving chest, he could just make out her protruding nipples through the insubstantial material.

Normally, under any other circumstances, he would have gladly taken a hold of such an appealing rack, consent or not. But he wanted to prove himself so badly to this woman he hankered for, so he endured. He let go of her wrists and pushed himself up. She sat up, arms to her chest as though he did attempt to touch her. And her eyes, was…was that fear showing? Was she afraid of him?

"I sorry." He said apprehensively.

"No, it-its ok really." She rubbed her eye and blinked a few times. Being covered up for so long, it felt tender and sensitive.

Her wrists felt sore whenever she flexed them. Needless to say, she was quite astounded by the man's strength considering she had the highest rank in the Rasgones military and wasn't exactly easy to dominate, not even past boyfriends had the nerve to over power her because of her authority and violent mood swings, hence her relationships never lasting long.

But just then, the way he dominated her, she found it to be quite...erotic.

"You ok?" He asked as her mind seemed to be elsewhere. She shook off the thoughts and looked at him, and that's when things got delirious.

Before all she saw in this man was dim-wit perversion and bad grammar, but now….well frankly she still saw him as a depraved moron but in addition, she saw how strangely attractive he was, something she hadn't seen before.

Oh there was no denying he was good looking, his dark hair, skin and eyes gave an exotic look, and his body was just as striking. Compared to Jareth he was a tad more muscular yet naught to looking overpowering, the type bound to be taken for granted yet somehow managed to take down a Gecko-conda.

Being enraptured by his charismatic entity, she hadn't notice his wild hand gestures and constant usage of her 'nickname' Hero patently took a penchant to using.

"Novia!"

Louari jumped at the sudden boldness of his tone.

"Um, sorry did you say something?"

"Sí, but you no pay attention." He said a little irately and of course, she felt embarrassed.

"I'm sorry" she said sincerely "what were saying?"

"I was asking if you like me now."

"Oh." She had in fact grown quite fond of him in the last few hours, but in the last few seconds that seemed to have escalated somehow. No, surely she couldn't have fallen for some romantic tongued womaniser, could she?

"Well, yes I have. Despite your distorted flaws, you are quite…beguiling. I can see why Anne likes having you around." He grinned. He didn't know what beguiling meant but from the way she spoke and smiled generously, it must be a good thing.

"Gracias, and you no as crazy as I thought." He said earnestly.

She smiled. Not exactly a compliment she liked but nevertheless he was being honest, and that was sweet.

"And being on that note" he added "I wish to ask something else."

"Ask away." She endorsed, unaware that he seemed to have edged closer to her.

"Do you love me?"

The question rung in her ears, making them burn red as her hair. He was persistent, she'd give him that. She stuttered a befuddled mixture of random letters before managing to form a sentence.

"What?! No I thought I made that clear before! If you think I'm gonna fall for you after a conversation you're sadly mistaken!" She didn't mean to snap like that but the mere thought of him bringing up that question was absurd. But despite that, his devilish smirk remained planted on his face.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You blushing" his hand lifted to her face, but only his index finger came into contact "so you lying." Whether it was the soft ooze of his voice or the cool digit trailing teasingly on her hot cheek that made her spine shiver, she couldn't tell. He had shown this affection before, and each time she brusquely turned him down, why was she feeling this way now?

She abruptly scooted back out of his reach but still his smirk remained, he had her on the spot.

"One thing I don't do is lie! I don't know what's going through your mind but I don't have the slightest bit of interest in you!" The hot flush of her face and growing temper made her feel dizzy again.

"Not even a little?" He asked playfully, trailing his finger on the grass while his eyes were still glued to her.

"Well…Alright I admit I do find you attractive. But that's it!" She quickly added, hoping to cease growth of his certainty. But from the look of his assured face, it did nothing.

"And besides, you're not my type." This time his smirk did drop.

"What you mean?"

"Be truthful" she crossed her arms "how many women have you…been involved with?"

Shit, he was being put on the spot now. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head while she patiently waited with a solemn glare.

"Truthfully….Mucho." He said, too embarrassed to give an exact estimate, not that he could anyway. Louari sighed and rolled her eyes.

"That's what I mean, you're just another womaniser. You do what you can to charm and manipulate a gal and when you get what you want you're off. And don't even try to deny it!"

He remained silent, feeling he was being read like a book.

"Look" Louari continued, softening her tone a little "you seem like a nice enough guy but even if I did like you that way, I refuse to be another fling till you get bored-"

"But you wouldn't!" She was quite taken aback but his suddenly desperate timbre.

"You…You think I like living like that? I try hard, really I do but…I no can help it. People no love me other way, they say I stupid, I selfish, I terrible person. It hurts." He clutched at his shirt in an indication of his heart.

"And…all I can do is…fornicate, just to feel amor. I just wanting to feel loved, no hate."

Louari regarded him with a saddened expression. One minute he was all bubbly and carefree and the next he was pouring his aching heart out to her.

"I…had no idea you felt that way. But doing that isn't love at all, it may feel like it at the time but that's just lust. If anything it'll only make you feel worse."

"I know" he admitted despondently. She felt sorry for him. This was totally out of character for him.

"Listen, you are not a terrible person. But you can't keep doing this if it hurts you and others ok?"

Easier said then done but nevertheless he nodded with his eyes downcast. In his opinion if he didn't find that 'special someone' soon, he'd keep doing it again and again till it happened, but at the rate he was going, that idealistic vision seemed bleak.

Louari shook her head, as much as she pitied him he was genuinely acting like a stubborn child, sulking till he got his own way, not that she was any better.

"Come here." She cooed. She had scooted back to her pervious position and gently embraced the heart-rending man. Before, the idea of willingly touching him would have seemed bizarre, but in this case she didn't mind, nor did she when she felt his arms encircle her. In fact, she sort of liked it.

Hero liked this for sure. For such a masculine woman she was surprisingly soft, and warm. She smelled nice too…

"It's ok, it's ok." She soothed warmly. It made him truly believe it would be…

Anne had made seven daisy chains, four bracelets and eleven rings in the last few hours, only to be discarded or nicked by bothersome fairies, not that she really cared about such juvenile accessories. After all, despite her infantile attitude she was pretty much an adult.

Two squirrels scampered with haste across the branches, one making attempt of catching the other. Anne watched their light hearted game of tag. From the looks of the way they were playing they were presumably mates.

She began to think to herself. How simple a squirrel's life seemed, no worries, no problems, not even when the time came to finding a mate. You just pick who you liked and that was that, nil romance required. She only wished telling Jareth how she felt would be as simple.

The pursuing squirrel caught its spouse and they both rolled about playfully before one escaped and scampered off again. Her eyes followed the little chase until something caught her attention. Two figures in fact engaging in a somewhat 'friendly' embrace.

Normally Anne would never consider prying and was about to toddle off until she noticed some familiar aspects of the couple.

At first she presumed the person with the short red hair was male but after a second glance she noticed the body was femininely curvilinear, lightly enveloped in dark cladding, much like…Louari?!

Yes, she was certain that was her fiery tempered friend within the arms of some foreigner which ironically enough, recognised him to be Hero. Who else would wear flamboyant red pants?

She stood in utter shock gawking at the scene of paradox. All the while a lone squirrel scurried about the branches, searching frantically for its mate.

Oblivious to doe-like eyes, the two continued to cuddle. It had been a while since Louari was held like this, especially by a good looking guy. It was…lovely. Lovely as the sudden sensation that tickled her neck. She turned her had ever so slightly to see Hero's face buried in the crook of her neck and let out a small pleasurable sigh. He was kissing her neck. Oh the little devil, even after all that drama he just couldn't help himself.

Oh what a pig, and yet she didn't nothing to stop him, she was encouraging him in fact by tilting her head, allowing his lips followed by hot tongue to graze her soft skin, touching those sweet pleasurable spots.

She let another sigh slip from her throat, one hand ascended to entangle her fingers through his hair. It felt thick yet soft, much like silk, or maybe satin, perhaps velvet? She wasn't sure. All fancy fabrics were the same to her.

Hero became highly excited by her increasing willingness to touch him. He was an easy guy to arouse and in his perverse little mind touching led to only one thing, and oh damn did that stimulate him more.

Of course, this also led him to do something stupid.

Half lidded eyes snapped wide open as Louari felt her behind being seized roughly by a very eager hand.

"Oi!" She broke from their warming bond to pelt the warlock across the face.

Anne literally jumped at the harsh impacted sound and swiftly dove behind a nearby bush, not wishing to be caught peeping as well as her curiosity getting the better of her. She cautiously peered through the shrubbery, elatedly waiting for the scene to unfold…

"You bloody pig!" She snarled, holding her arms up to her chest in a protective manner "I should have know, you were just acting up weren't you?!"

"No, no, I was serious." He said, poking at the welt mark on his cheek. He flinched at the sensitivity.

"You didn't have to hit so hard."

"Well you deserved it, cheeky bastard!" She retorted.

"Funny, I thought you were 'cheeky' one Novia." He flashed her that suggestive smirk.

"Oh don't you get funny with me" she threatened "you had no right to touch me there!"

"Oh? But you no mind me touching you before." He looked upon her neck, seeing he had left a rouge mark, much like the one he had left on a more sensuous part of her body. The very memory made his loins shudder. Louari blushed and felt the tender area of her neck. She would kill him later, for sure.

"Yes, Well I-"

"And you respond sí? So you liked it, very much." His voice became husky with growing keenness, making Louari even more red faced.

"It…That didn't mean anything!" Confirming to convince herself as well as him.

"Realmente" His smirk broadened more making her even more irate "I think you lie. I think…" He learned forward a bit "you like me."

"Oh get over yourself." She muttered and rolled her eyes.

"I rather get over you sexy."

"Just shut it!" She snapped.

"Oh dear" He said with great mirth "seems you are having uh how you say? Time of month?"

That did it. The general's vision became blood red and without a second's thought, she leapt on the man like a wild predator, pinning him down against soft blades and flora of the fresh green grassland.

"What goes on with my menstrual style is none of your damn business! Whether I am or not has nothing to do with me wanting to pulverise you right now!"

Despite being stared down by a manic woman with resentment of his inconsideration to womanly issues, Hero showed no signs of being fazed by this predicament. In fact he was very much aroused.

"Mmm, muy caliente. What you gonna do hm?"

She narrowed her eyes, this was getting old but then an idea concocted in her mind.

"_Two can play at this."_ The only way she could go about doing this was fighting fire with fire.

The grip she had on his broad shoulders loosened slightly, crouching before she now settled herself on his hip region. His eyes focused on hers, attempting to comprehend what she was trying to achieve. Oh would he be in for a surprise.

"Well Mr Fire lord" a glint flickered in her eyes "let's see if you're all talk." He drew breath as she shimmed further down, now taking seat on his genital region. Her own breath wavered as she could easily feel his arousing bulge against her own warm sex. She began to feel hesitant of this idea but was reluctant to back down from a challenge, even if he was enjoying it. She began to engage grinding against him, making the man beneath her take another sharp breath through his teeth, bearing his animal like fangs. Blatantly this was stirring up Louari's libido just as well though she tried hard to hide it. She was trying to teach him a lesson after all, but letting slip a delightful moan made him grin contentedly. She blushed but didn't lose focus of his gaze as to not show any sign of weakening, which was becoming more overcoming then she anticipated.

Anne watched on, shocked yet fascinated. What was she doing to him, better yet why? Just this morning she was giving him the cold shoulder, now she sitting and moving against him in a way that thrilled and him from what she could see.

Keeping a cool exterior was arduous. His chest heaved slowly as the vixen stroked him leisurely, making his teeth grit. He detected the sly smirk on her face and narrowed his eyes. Little wench was going to seduce to his peak then blow him off out of spite.

He would know, wasn't the first time it happened to him. But who said he couldn't do the same?

Giving in to the urge again, his hands slid up her thighs, making the girl tense from his touch which brought a deviant grin to his face. She may have come off like a tough tyrant but like him, she had needs.

Those eager hands soon found their way to her rear end, opposing the previous rough handling to a more gentle caress, gaining a contented purr and rousing shiver. Satisfied that she wasn't going stop him, his hands began to slide further up her slender torso, only to be lightly slapped away. Louari wagged her finger in mock disapproval.

"I'm not done yet." She hissed and moved further down his legs, releasing the searing pressure from his groin but making his hefty bulge quite obvious. She looked down with a smirk and arched eyebrow.

"Well, well, you're quite endowed aren't you?"

"So I'm told" he smiled modestly whilst taking an admiring look at his package "you want to see?"

"Maybe." She was already reaching the vibrant belt buckle, but surprisingly he grabbed her wrists.

"Well you can't."

"And why is that?"

He pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows. She smirked and shook her head, clearly getting the hint. She gently pushed up his shirt enough to marvel upon his well toned abs, also noticing the thin trail of pubic hair leading down to his nether regions. Her curious fingers wandered over the fuzz to his rock solid six pack. As her hand travelled further she felt a low growl vibrate within his chest, even more when she lowered and settled her body against his, hand still up his shirt and faces merely an inch from one another.

"Thought you no like me." He said contently despite knowing the general's plot who was leering down at him.

"Oh shut up." She breathed and mingled her lips with his.

Anne felt her heart flutter as she watched on. All the while feeling a strange sensation awaken deep within, similar to when she was with the Goblin king…

For a man who knew little he was a tremendous kisser. Already his tongue sought entrance and entwined with hers, relishing each others unique flavour. As for his hands they once again clamped her firm backside and a joyous groan fuelled his ambition even more. He was weakening, she could tell. Just a little more teasing was all it'd take then she'd be done.

Back of her conscious she knew she was being a hypocrite to take advantage of his passion but according to her, men like him had to be taught the hard way.

But what no one knew is that it would be the other way around.

A startled gasp escaped as he once again grabbed her wrist as she once again reached for his buckle, but this time harder. Anxiety rose as she unsuccessfully tugged for freedom, he didn't want to hurt her but refused to soften his clasp. She met his eyes to question his action, only to gape fretfully at the staid expression he gave.

"Hero, what…what are y-"

"I no as stupid as you believe." He had found her out. Giving no chance for an explanation he flipped their positions, pinning down the fretful woman with great force.

"You try to tease me sí?" One strong hand clamped down her wrists above her head.

"You no think I knew what you doing?" He questioned. Louari remained mute but her shameful blush was answer enough.

"Usted mala zorra." He hissed, letting his hand slip to the inside of her warm thigh, feeling the uncontrollable shiver and whimper he was causing. Louari flinched as his hand travelled further, filling her with apprehension as well as anticipation. Just the way he took control like that was exhilarating enough to ignite her drive. But while her expression illustrated trepidation and excitement Hero's was a mixture of emotion aside from mirth. He was pissed off from being taken advantage of like that as well as feeling hurt but despite all he still wanted her in such a passionate way that made him flare up within his body, and pants.

Somehow he broke past the lower cladding that protected her luscious mound, his hand slide comfortably between her legs, converging with the snug moist warmth of her womanhood. She flinched again but made no move to halt him.

"Tremendo bollo." He murmured, gradually stroking, solemnly watching her face change hue with lust and arousal and feeling her soft perfumed breath lightly hitting his skin.

Anne flushed causing her skin to tingle, the slight friction between her underwear and maidenhood became frightfully sensitive, giving the urge to ease but she needed those shaky hands to obtain the opening to watch on. She saw his lips move from time to time but couldn't make out what he was saying. She watched him touch her down there, feeling embarrassed and slightly envious. Why? She didn't love him that way, but why Louari? Up until now she had shown no physical or emotional interest in him.

Why now?

Why wouldn't she stop him? She never intended to go this far not to mention having the tables turned on her. Not much she could do anyway with her wrists bounded tightly but still…

She let out a sudden yelp of protest as she felt his middle digit touch her wet entrance and thumb massage her tender nub. Her breath quickened with anticipation, blowing back his almost black hair that surrounded a frightfully sombre face. With no indication he roughly jammed his finger in her tight vagina, causing her body to reflex tensely but willingly. Though unapparent in his expression, her moans as he gently paced made his aching manhood throb intensely making him wish more to ravish and force her into an orgasm just as before, but something in the back of his mind advised him to hold out just a little longer.

Her attention sparked as he lowered his head, thinking he was going to kiss her, but instead placed it at the side of hers, his husky breath teasing her ear.

"Louari" her name said in such an exotic tongue made her toes tingle "te voy coger su coño mojado." He roughly stroked her, partially wishing to take out his frustration but at the same time was able to pleasure her though his heart wasn't entirely in it. His buried his face in her hair, he couldn't look at her.

"Foquin zorra." Stifling back a groan, her body jolted as he touched her sweet spot. She felt the sudden need to cling onto him but obviously couldn't with her arms and lower body restrained. She began to feel very uncomfortable as he continued to ram his finger coarsely as if to create her pain more then pleasure.

Blatantly he was carrying anger through his actions, she couldn't blame him really. This was a likely case of her own medicine, but surely she wouldn't have done it this way, would she? Suddenly she felt very cheap and conniving. And to think, he had been through this god knows how many times.

"H…" With the pleasure forced upon her it was hard to muster up a sentence let alone a single word, and no decelerate on his behalf didn't help either. But what would a general be without determination?

"Hero."

He stopped but made no intention of regarding her or removing his hand. Her heart pummelled in her chest, making her breathing irregular.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. He remained motionless aside from the steady rise when he breathed.

"I'm really sorry Hero."

What happened? Now they remained still. Anne tried hard to block out the wildlife audio to focus on the stationary figures, but even with that wish theirs would be an unfortunate whisper.

He didn't answer but was gracious enough to let go of her wrists, now rouge marked, giving no regard though she embraced him, wrapping her arms around his neck in comfort.

"I'm sorry." She repeated. He moved again, this time slipping his finger out from her sodden entrance, her breath shaky as she inhaled. With now both hands unoccupied, he released her arms from his neck and sat up, face still serious as before.

"Damn it I'm sorry!" Annoyance grew in her voice from his lack of vocal response.

"Would you please say something?"

"….Something." He lifted the hand that invaded her privacy to his mouth, shamelessly sucking his drenched finger of her saccharine juices. She narrowed her eyes but said nothing. She would kill him if this was another one of his emotional acts.

Satisfied, he removed his finger and licked his lips, a soft glance and soft smile indicated that she was forgiven.

"I knew you care." Louari blushed and was about to engage in a protest until a firm finger silenced her. Hero cleared his throat.

"Louari, desde que te conocí no hago nada más que pensar en ti." He learned back down again and kissed her without complaint.

"Estoy enamorado de ti." He showered her face with kisses, pausing each time to speak his romantic language.

"Te adoro. Te deseo. Te amo-"

"T-te amo?" Following his language and accent was quite hard. Hero stopped and chuckled in adoration.

"I love you too."

"Pardon?"

"That what 'te amo' mean, 'I love you'."

"O-oh." She blushed and glanced sideways. For a moment Anne thought she had spotted her and quickly ducked down, fortunately she didn't notice the onlooker.

"So um, what does the rest mean?"

"I tell you later." He cascaded her neck with kisses before coming back up to claim her mouth, not before saying;

"Quiero practicar como hacer babies contigo." The wet warmth of her mouth welcomed him fervently, tongues guided in a heated dance.

"And what does that mean?" She asked as they pulled back.

"You'll find out." He smirked mischievously and unzipped his pants.

A sensation washed over Anne as new and disturbing sounds filled the Underground air. She daren't look for fear of being caught, but be that as it may it took little imagination to know what they were doing, she blushed violently at the zealous ruckus and rousing dampness between her legs.

Knowing she witnessed more then enough, she crouched down and snuck away, careful to not trip over her pink and ivory gown and creating any sound.

The day had drawn nearer to dusk. Shadows emerged over the garden, stirring the nocturnal beasts as others settled into their restful slumber.

The little squirrel gave up its search for its mate, its sadness barely discernible to the naked eye. With night approaching it scurried back to its tree hollow, waiting, hoping that its companion would return.

It didn't.


	17. In which trees play their tune: LEMON!

I warn ye now, major Jareth/OC going on now! Don't like? Don't read, athank you

**Chapter 17: In which trees play their tune**

Whether it was the previous graphic prospect or the sudden acceleration that exhilarated Anne's whole being was indefinite. She had no clue where she was heading but sprinted with all that her legs could withstand, stumbling here and there numerous times. Eventually she came to a stop near a middling cluster of trees, striving to catch her ragged breath whilst mulling over the day's mishaps; waking up half naked in Jareth's bed, being caught emerging from his room by her friends which two of them had sexual relations as she witnessed beforehand, once again making her cheeks blush and skin tingle. The evening breeze swept through the trees, but strangely no rustle of leaves emitted. Peculiar but it sounded like…music. The gentle wind swept again, and every little shiver and shake composed a tune of some sort, very much…erotic to the sound of it.

This didn't surprise Anne very much. This was the Underground after all and so far, nothing at all has made any damn sense. Naturally curious she moved within the heart of the tree huddle, gazing up raptly at the dark sky through the abundant leafy branches.

"A crystal moon." She murmured with wonder. There was indeed a crystal moon out, and a marvel at that among the diamond stars, beaming down gently on the silhouettes of Jareth's paradise.

Jareth. She wondered what became of him after her hasty departure in the afternoon. In actual fact she hadn't stopped thinking about him since, everything seemed to remind her of the arrogant king, little things that would presumably seem insignificant to those with his similar attitude. A juicy ripe peach, a stray white feather, even those bastard little fairies and the ridicules amount of glitter throughout the Underground, all made her think of that beautiful fae.

The wind swept again, slightly lifting the hem of her gown. For a moment she swore she could hear the faint music box melody that was Sarah's from her beloved movie.

As tacky as it looked from what she could remember, from the gold plated gazebo to the plastic novelty doll in the miniature version of Sarah's puffball dress, the tune was definitely something to fall in love with.

Anne began to hum gently to the romantic melody, even alone she was far too embarrassed to sing out loud considering she wasn't at all spectacular compared to Jareth's harmonious vocals. Her mind suddenly reflected upon her ballroom waltz, making her heart flutter as it all came back.

The words he meant, his touch, his scent.

His smile.

Then, for no reason at all, she turned her head. Whether it was timing or purely instinct was beyond anyone but Anne was not the least bit shocked upon seeing Jareth, tucked between the shadows of the trees. His attire was now as dark as the sky she may not have noticed him at all aside from the visibility of his mature face in the precious moonlight.

"Good evening." She said meekly to the ancient king.

"And to you as well Miss Duchess." He emerged into the light with Anne. So fetching in black she thought momentarily, keeping from blushing. Not noticing he looked up at the sky as she did, briefly sparing the silence to appreciate the Underground moon. Anne on the other hand found herself staring at his large adams apple, wondering why women didn't have such a thing, not that she had interest in having one.

"Tune trees."

Her eyes flickered to his, now regarding her rather then the moon.

"Sorry?"

"These" he extended his arms outwards "are Tune trees."

"Oh…" She murmured quite awkwardly, embarrassed for not knowing what to say or think considering she didn't understand. She hated situations like that, it made her feel more inferior then she already felt about herself.

"Tune trees, depending on one's mood and current thought" he answered her unspoken question "play a melody that complements it, which by the way brings me to ask you Miss Duchess." He bent to her eye level seeing as he was quite taller then Anne. Even so it reminded her of how an adult would treat a childish. She often wondered if he purposely did this to annoy her.

"Taking my evening stroll I heard quite an interesting tune, as I presumed, from this area. And to my surprise I find you to be the cause Miss Duchess, since you don't come off as the…erotic type, even with your past fanaticism." There was a definite hint of smugness in his voice, much to her annoyance and discomfiture.

"So young lady, would you be so kind as to tell what brought that on?"

There was no end to her vivid blushing or light-headedness. With great gawkiness she explained what she previously saw, not that it was any of his business but the thought of denying a simple explanation seemed childish, it was already bad enough he kept calling her 'young lady' and 'Miss Duchess' in a somewhat patronising manner.

All the while Jareth didn't seem the least bit astonished but rather much intrigued, bearing an elegant smile as she awkwardly spoke and fidgeted slightly.

"Well." He said when she finished. His tone coated with amusement, both of the occurrence and poor Anne having to be witness.

"I know…" Her face flushed under the crystal moonlight "But, I guess love works in strange ways."

"I wouldn't call it 'love'." He differed. She looked to see him walking away but it was only a few steps before he stopped.

"Oh?" Anne took this as a gesture to follow him, where he was leading them she didn't know.

"It would be more to do with lust rather then love" he listened to her idyllic silence and rustle of grass as they walked before continuing "if it were love like you claim it would have been a matter of emotional wanting, but from what you told me, their desires were just physical, which is lust." He looked down at her. She was probably the same height if not an inch taller then Sarah.

"Surely a grown woman such as yourself should know the difference."

"I do." Tad annoyance came with the answer. Of course she did, he knew that.

"That's good." It was a little while later that she realised they were walking back to the strange stone fountain, hideous yet marvellous as she recalled. Walking towards the fountain, Anne noticed how gently his dark cloak fluttered in the light breeze, gracefully even. He sat down, staring into the moonlit pool of ripples, fixated in a way, whether by the shimmering reflection or a reflection of thought she didn't know yet pondered.

Jareth knew she wanted to ask him something, ever since this morning. What it was exactly was quite vague as she was already somewhat of a nervous wreck to serious questioning.

From the corner of his eye he saw her move, walking carefully towards the fountain and taking seat on the cold stone next to him, but at quite a distance.

She was shaking slightly. It was a mild night so theoretically she was tense about something, but really when was she not?

He looked back at the water. Truthfully he would have thought the time in the Underground would alter if not slacken her retiring manner. It certainly changed Sarah from what he could remember, a whiny teenage brat to an emotional matured young girl that somehow saw the reality of life through a fictional kingdom. Any other child would resort to a personal fantasia for mere fun or lonely boredom, getting away from the real world for a while. But for Anne, it was as if reality…frightened her, its experiences isolating her into a desired fantasy of her own content, withdrawing her from friends and family alike. It was quite sad really since, despite her shifty attitude and colourful language, she was quite a sweet girl to be around.

She was a woman with a child's heart.

"Jareth." The word came with a strain, almost harsh to the whispering breeze that touched fair hair. He turned his head to her hesitant gaze.

"Yes?" She watched her lips part, looking timid and doubtful, possibly hoping to brush off the question again.

"I've…been meaning to ask you something." She scratched the back of her hand.

"And that would be?" She looked up at him again. He remembered how doe like her eyes were, just as they first met.

"How…How do you know when you're in love with someone?"

He remained unruffled to this question. She blushed with embarrassment of him suspecting.

"Ah" he said solemnly, taking a moment to drum his leather clad fingers together in precise rhythm "love…is quite a complicated emotion Anne." His continued the steady movement of his long digits as he spoke. Anne chewed on her bottom lip.

"But…The love you had for Sarah, what was that like?" Anne saw the hesitance in his movement at the mere mention of her. She began to regret bringing up this topic. Nevertheless Jareth was willing to answer.

"Sarah" he began, pausing again "was a peculiar young girl, not as much as you but even so." The way he dwelled gave Anne the impression that the subject of Sarah was still a delicate one even after twenty one years.

"She had no idea the kind of power she had over me. I distorted time itself and offered her dreams, just so she would return my affection, and yet…I never felt so powerless. I couldn't even make a mortal girl love me." As envious as Anne felt of his words of strong affection for Sarah, she couldn't help pitying him.

"To answer your question, I've watched Sarah for a long time, waiting for the day she would make that wish. Since that time, watching her grow up, I began to feel somewhat affectionate towards her. As the years went by I began to observe her more and more, but it wasn't just out of mere curiosity anymore. I found I couldn't eat or sleep without knowing what she was doing, what she was thinking, where she was going. I couldn't stop thinking about her. My interest had grown to yearning for her." He directed his gaze to Anne. Still sombre as yet but the sadness in his eyes was unmistakable.

"I loved her. I still do."

What could awkward Anne say? She never imagined his love to be this strong for her, even after all these years. He turned his gaze again but hers never flickered.

"So…Love is constant thought and consideration for another?" Platinum blonde hair covered his downcast face but confirmed with a solemn nod. Seeing him this way made her heart soften. She looked to her reflection in the translucent water of the fountain. She didn't understand how or why but never had she felt more grown up and aware then she did now. Her head turned to the downhearted king. Though great courage it took her voice became timid as ever.

"I love you."

From his still posture she presumed he misheard her, but then he lifted his head and gave regard. The only feature that gave any sentiment were his intrigued eyes, otherwise his face was staid.

"I…" Anne began, feeling her audacity dither but urged to carry on "…ever since I was young, I was always taken with you. I knew…I mean I thought I knew you were just a fairy tale but… the fascination of you, I never felt that way about anyone before. I…I thought I would grow out of it but…I didn't." She paused to swallow.

"Becoming aware…I grew to…to like you more, course I probably wasn't any different from any other silly girl with a crush but…I felt like this was…was an obsession. It's strange but other then the movie I knew nothing about you…yet, I couldn't stop thinking of you, what you were like and…I never would have dreamed I would be here. And…you weren't exactly what I thought you'd be."

Jareth continued his stare.

"I mean…there were times I wanted to hate you but…couldn't. Even so…even though I've truly know you for such a short time, I now know…I now know that…that I love you."

A wave of mixed emotion came across her; Relief, anxiety, discomfiture. And what did Jareth have to show for it?

Nothing.

He had said nothing, did nothing and showed nothing, nothing aside staring at her like a hawk. Anne felt the humiliation flush over her face. How foolish the poor girl felt, especially after his clearly said he loved another.

"I'm sorry!" Without a given moment she stood up and sprinted back towards the castle, giving no care to her tired legs or stinging eyes of salty tears ready to discharge. Jareth stayed where he was, watching the sore woman run back to his castle within the dark void of the night. He looked up at the crystal moon. Promises were made upon such an object for sheer romance all for the heart of a mortal girl. What else? Sweet valentine evenings and glorious mornings of heavenly gold, all for the pale jewel named Sarah Williams.

All the same was made to Anne. But dear heaven, what was to happen now?

What may seem to you now will not be.

With no care to where she was or how she got there, Anne had ended up running out onto a balcony within the castle, giving view of the King's garden. She didn't give a toss. Leaning upon the stone ledge she covered the redness of her eyes and mortification. Anne fought against the heart wrenched tears that threatened to spill. As for the heart it stung with bitterness, inflicted more from herself then Jareth for having high hopes that her feelings would be returned. Reflecting upon it seemed all a waste now, what went on before were merely acts of lust of a lonely man and girl. How foolish she felt to think that Jareth would ever love her.

And yet she had hoped.

The back of her hands became moist as she rubbed her sore eyes. All she wanted to do now was sleep and forget her humiliating experience, at least none of her friends or horrendous goblins were there to witness.

Turning to head back inside she froze upon the sight of Jareth blocking the stone archway, solemn as before much to the poor girl's melancholy.

How she wished for the cold floor to swallow her up.

"Jareth I…please forget I said anything. I had no right to say that-"

"Since when has there been no right to express one's sentiment?" The flatness of his voice sorely shot through her.

"Jareth please, just leave me alone." She edged back the ledge, wanting to be far from him as possible.

"Not until you listen to me young lady." There goes that lecherous voice she thought staring at the stone tiles of the balcony. Hadn't he upset her enough?

"Look at me."

Obediently she did so, wiping her eye in the process.

"Not so long ago you gave your brutal yet honest opinion about me, I have yet to do the same." He took a moment to observe her 'deer in the headlights' quality.

"First meeting you, you gave the impression of a frightened lonely little girl with worldly dreams, but ever since bringing you here I found you to be obnoxious, foul mouthed, stuck up, diffident, fickle and just very, very strange."

Her eyebrows arched indignantly.

"How dare y-"

"I'm not finished." He held up his gloved hand. Anne huffed and crossed her arms.

"You're very unpredictable, you're too quiet most of the time and other times you're too loud, you have quite the attitude problem, your etiquette is appalling and to put it bluntly as you did before, you are a bitch."

Anne stood there mouth agape. Surely _she_ wasn't this brutal to him.

"And your friend is right. You do have a big behind."

Fuelled with distress and annoyance she was about to speak up but halted at the signal of his hand.

"But even with those faults…I like you, very much, just as you are." He moved slightly from the doorway towards her, glad that she didn't make an effort to leave.

"You are nothing like dear Sarah. That actually makes me…happy. There is only ever going to be one of her, and only one of you. Despite what is ever said you are a lovely young lady, just as you are. And I'm glad that you're here."

If her heartbeat could be heard it would be loud as thunder. Jareth rubbed the bridge of his nose, strained from thought from the look of it.

"What…what I'm trying to say is…is that I've grown very fond of you."

Anne stood there, wide and alert. Jareth realised he would need to say more for a knock back reaction.

"Anne, I love you."

This time the heated rouge flush overwhelmed her, more then usual. Her vision became cloudy, knees became jelly and speaking became impossible – really how any of you Jareth fans would react.

And with no sense of warning at all, she fainted on the spot in a comical fashion.

Jareth arched his regal eyebrow. Not exactly the reaction he expected but was flattered all the same. It made him wonder how Sarah would have reacted if he had said the same to her those years ago.

That didn't matter anymore, what mattered was now and what was soon to become.

Anne stirred to a somewhat soothing and gentle warmth. She sighed softly as her dark eyes flickered open, grateful that only the dim luminosity of the moon gave off the only source of light. Her eyes scanned the room to be that of the Goblin king.

"Feeling better?" That very king's voice brushed against her ear. She turned her head to face him.

"Oh." From the time she blacked out she had been resting on the large bed upon Jareth's lap, thus the familiar warmth wrapped around her.

"I'm sorry. I was…stunned" she shifted her weight to face him more properly "you….did say that…you-"

"Yes." Her heart leapt, for a daunting moment she thought it all to be a dream.

"Oh…" Feeling her cheeks tingle she hoped she wouldn't pass out again. The situation was found to be quite bizarre. This was something that Anne had fantasised for years, to be told that she was loved by the Goblin king himself. But now that all was needed to be said, her shyness made her unsure of what to do from that point.

"A problem?" The question came smoothly and gently to her ears, causing a saccharine quiver.

"N-no, I'm glad I really am. It's just…Surprising that you'd feel the same about me. After all, I'm not very pretty." Her eyes faltered as did her whispery voice.

"Oh? Well then Miss Duchess, define your definition of 'pretty'." Her brows knitted to his query.

"What? Well…I dunno skinny, long legs, big boobs and great skin, pretty much perfection." Jareth rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"The problem with your generation" he sighed "is that you're too narrow minded. You see an influence of some kind of beauty and constantly make comparisons when really you are blind to what you already possess."

His warm slender fingers gently touched Anne's chin, to which she noticed his gloves had been removed. She allowed her head to be titled by such tender force.

"Saying you were perfect would be an utter lie" His merry smirk appeared before her pouting features "but you are a beautiful lady with a lovely figure. Don't ever doubt yourself of that."

Anne stared at the differed eyed king, and her heart melted. Even now it still seemed absurd that such a beautiful being loved a mundane girl such as her.

Suddenly with a burst of nerve she leant forward and briskly kissed him on the lips. Jareth's eyebrows raised in amusement for her impulsive action, making Anne blush and once again succumb to her timid nature.

"My, my Miss Duchess." His deviant smirk bared pearly white fangs like that of a feral animal. Vigilant Anne yielded within his arms to be kissed in the 'proper' fashion.

She hadn't got any better from the last time they engaged in a snog; still hesitant as ever but he could tell she was very eager to please and experience. Holding her delicate face he deepened the kiss more, tongues entwining in a waltz of passion.

Let magic be damned for the verdict of rightful supremacy as nothing should ever have comparison to such a zealous undergoing.

Had it felt an eternity when Jareth pulled back, leaving his taste and their thin salivated trail.

"Dear Duchess" sweet Underground how his butterfly kisses tortured her delicate neck "will you run from me again?" Twice now he had tried to pursue naïve Anne and he'd be bloody well damned if he was denied again.

Bowing her head back to consent her throat to him, she murmured a soft sigh of sugary contentment.

"No."

"Splendid." At the graceful twirl of his left hand Anne's dress came away swiftly as wrapping paper, exposing the young girl's stockings and under garments. She timidly squeaked and shifted off the man's lap, covering her moderate chest with her arms.

"Dear Anne" he softly cooed as he effortlessly pulled her arms away "let me look at you." Her figure was nothing of the lean supermodel sort but still quite delightful and curvy in the appropriate places, all very pleasing to the roused king. She blushed and looked away, embarrassed for being looked upon this way.

He shifted and reached over to her for what at first seemed liked the desire for an embrace but rather to unfasten the hooks of her rosy coloured bra. Being so close she caught a whiff of his somewhat comforting scent, Peach candles in the mid summer, same as before. She wondered what she smelled like to him.

The lacy straps slipped for her soft shoulders and arms. The garment was discarded on the bedroom floor.

She could feel his gaze burning her exposed chest from what her intuition told her, she was too scared to look up to actually clarify. But hell he was a man, what else would he be gawking at?

He noticed she was trembling slightly. Not caring if he was being to forward he reached out and gently squeezed her soft breasts, to which then her body tensed up. Her blatant fear was almost thrilling to him, was he to lose control he'd by now have her bent over and infiltrated into a tremendous orgasm. But with her type he should be so lucky that she'd let him go so far.

His lips brushed against her neck followed by his hot eager tongue, savouring the unique taste of the fresh young girl, thankful that she didn't fuss with perfume. She shivered under the feather like kisses that travelled down to the peak of her right breast to which he engaged on sucking while keen fingers pinched and toyed with her other nipple. Anne remained in a frozen state, afraid to make any unfamiliar response much to Jareth's dislike. He gently bit down on her pink nipple, gaining a sweet whimper and shiver but unable meet Jareth's fulfilment. He sighed and kissed her tender nipple, musing on a different way for her to respond openly.

He pulled back and regarded her; her whole body language was stiff and still her head was downcast.

He reached out and touched her cheek, feeling her tense up again. He lightly stroked her, valuing the softness and warmth.

"Anne." He spoke softly, almost a whisper "look at me"

Slowly but surely she lifted her head, looking at him in a fearful and apologetic manner to which he returned a mild smile to ease her discomfort. He began to take off his dark cape and poet shirt in a slow, deliberate, fashion.

Gazing his handsome face to bare torso, she became rapt of his slender yet masculine form. She looked back up to see he was waiting patiently for something. Supposedly she was to make the next move.

After a long pause, her hesitantly reached out and touched his hairless chest, surprisingly firm with muscle considering he had a slim frame. First fingertips, then gradually she allowed her palm to rest on his pale skin leisurely, much lighter in comparison to hers. Though he looked composed Jareth became quite aroused from the warm hand that wandered from his chest downwards to his reasonably built abs. Just inches from his sore crotch she became hesitant again as if the very thing threatened her in such a way.

She looked back up at Jareth. He stared back at her in what she thought to be considerable patience on account of her slow progression. She blushed and viewed back down at his groin, hand still in mid air and trembling.

Eventually Jareth began to grow tiresome of this apprehension and took matters into his own hands, or rather hand.

Before she could even squeak a protest Jareth slide his right hand inside her underwear to which instead she breathed a sigh of contentment as he leisurely stroked her virgin quim.

She whimpered and clung to his chest, her mind contorting in sexual captivation and desire of her button being touched in such a way she couldn't even begin comprehend. All to have it done by such a gorgeous man who could also be just as vindictive. Before even reaching her pinnacle he drew his hand away, leaving the poor girl disgruntled and wet. She looked up in desperation at him which he returned with a smirk of a sexual deviant.

"If you wish for me to resume Miss Duchess" he shifted so to slip off his grey tights "you must first tend to my ministration."

Anne blushed a deep rouge upon seeing Jareth's semi hard on presented to her, no hair there either. It made her feel uncomfortable with thought of her genitals being crammed by this intimidating endowment. Jareth on the other hand wasn't the slightest bit embarrassed.

With the same hand, she tentatively touched his penis in the same fashion she did with his chest. He exhaled heavily through his nostrils from the girl's light yet torturous touches, damning her dawdling curiosity.

As a little girl, Anne noted her mother for her assortment of trashy romance novels, a few years before meeting her second husband. At the time Anne couldn't properly comprehend the genre and scarcely knew the basics of sex education, so upon reading a chapter behind her mother's back she became startled and somewhat disgusted from the secluded activities that were depicted, one she wouldn't forget was the stimulation of the man's penis with the woman character's mouth – she felt nauseous for a week.

But with the situation she was in, it had become very appealing to her.

She swallowed and bent down to Jareth's pelvis who all the while watched her with intrigue. Gently she wrapped her hand around his regal member, nervously moving up and down in a leisurely rhythm, growing within the virgin's grasp. Then with a spark of adrenaline she kissed the smooth head and faintly heard the man's sigh.

Feeling a little braver she licked the tip then started slowly down his veined shaft, literally going by the book. Each pass of her soft tongue provoked a minor fluid of pre-cum to gradually seep which she willingly cleaned off much to its strange taste. Her timid breath before taking half his length in her mouth sent an ecstatic sensation up his spine, to which he then grabbed the back of her head, stroking her like a cat and relishing the purr-like vibration through his shaft.

Anne worked cautiously on his swollen length to not somehow make a blunder, sparing no heed to how torturous it was to Jareth, causing him to buck and force more of his member into her mouth. She gagged a little but pulled through to carry on her task, each movement of her lips and tongue like an electric shock through the poor king.

Upon hearing his deep ragged grunt, she suddenly felt his hot seed excrete into her mouth. He kept his grip on her head, forcing her to swallow his salty fluid. She didn't really mind despite the taste, this was Jareth after all.

After finishing cleaning him off, she sat back up and wiped her bottom lip with her thumb. Jareth was learning back on his arms, softly panting with a fresh sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Good girl." He murmured, crawling over and gently pushing her down onto her back and bestowed a tender kiss, a partial reward for her adequate efforts.

Trailing his kisses down her supple body, of course stopping to appreciate her bosoms, he felt the tremble and quake of her timorous anticipation. But sliding his eager hand over her soft curves, closer to her neither regions she whimpered and crossed her legs in a protective state.

"Anne, open your legs for me." As silky as his request was she was hesitant of doing so. He stroked her soft tummy, gaining a tinge of triumph from her contented sigh.

"Open" he said more profoundly "please."

How could he be denied? Her legs moved soundly against the silk sheets, open wide and ready for the deviant king. Smirking he knelt between her legs, lifting one legs to stroke and kiss upon. She whimpered and blushed again feeling the tingling friction of the stocking being removed and tossed to the floor.

"You my dear have very sexy legs." He murmured and swept his tongue along her calf. Hearing him use such a word made her flesh tingle with embarrassment as if it were a profanity, hearing him speak like that seemed irregular to her.

He removed the other stocking to also be discarded, not long turning his attention to the feminine garment. Sparing a momentary glance to Anne he lowered his head.

"Oh-" She began in a last minute gripe, only to be silenced with a mild shush.

"I guarantee satisfaction Miss Duchess." The low mumble burned her vulnerable skin, starting from the belly button and lightly scraping his teeth down to the band of her knickers. Gripped in his mouth, he gradually pulled them down, all the more teasing for poor Anne and her chilling groan that aroused the blonde king even more.

Feeling the material slip past her ankles she glanced up at her seducer. How comical Jareth looked to have a pair of panties hanging from his mouth, were she not anxious she surely would have giggled. He let the damp garment drop from his mouth and grinned with mild interest and lust at the dark patch of hair that surrounded her sweet pink flesh. Lowering his head again he caught the scent of her young arousal, drawn to it like a honeybee to a saccharine wildflower. With one hand he spread the lips of her vulva wide while the other held her shaking leg firmly.

Feeling his hot wet tongue come in contact with her sex made her utter a helpless cry. Slowly, purposely teasing he worked his tongue up and down her vagina. She would squirm now and then but made no other protest. Letting go of her leg he used his other hand to open her folds wider and jammed his tongue in her entrance, finally gaining a shrill moan from the timid mouse.

Desperate for her release she grabbed by the hair, forcing his mature face into her wetness, encouraging along with her frequent moans to suck, lick and nibble to her climax.

"Oh Jareth…" She arched her back, offering more to the greedy king. She felt ridiculous for whimpering so as she did but the sensation bestowed upon her was so far the most intense she ever felt, not even when she would occasional pleasure herself had she reached this sort of pinnacle.

"Ah" She screwed her eyes as did her insides, feeling the sheer ecstasy consume her shuddering form, leaking with warm sap for Jareth to blissfully lap up. Taunt and shaky before she now became slack against his comforting sheets, eyes closed, slowly panting.

Now resting on his side, Jareth leaned against his elbow, waiting for Anne to regain her breath.

"Well Miss Duchess" He spoke not more then a hair's length from her "How did it feel to experience your first orgasm?"

Still lying down she turned her head to look upon his heavenly facet. Her own body glowed in a sheen of light pink.

"Incredible." She whispered shyly. The ageless king smiled and kissed the young girl, purposely sharing her fervour taste that still lingered in his mouth which she chose to make no comment on.

He broke from the kiss and smirked again; crawling over and positioning himself between her ready legs yet still she shook with fear and expectation. He lowered and rested his body on top of hers, breathing in the scent of her hair, ironically cherry.

"Love me Anne" he breathed huskily into her hair, ragged with eagerness to take her mortal innocence "you're all mine" gradually he pushed the head of his erection into her tight hole. She cried out and dug her nails into his back.

"Fuck!" She whimpered, contorting her face in discomfort, fearing she would bleed from his bulky size.

Eventually his length slide through. At this point Anne was on the brink of tears, bearing the pain of her tight vulva forced to accommodate this large entity. In due time the pain subsided to a more blissful sensation of Jareth's swollen member throbbing against her taut walls. Jareth had remained silent aside from the heavy breathing in her ear, adding to the thrill.

Not knowing what else to do, she gently caressed his head, adoring the feather like softness of his light hair. Countless times she had fantasised of being loved in this way, loved by the man she treasured since childhood, taking her into that final path of sexuality, leaving what little innocence she had behind in those lonely years.

He felt her touch upon his head, soothing him gently. Years he had longed for a comforting touch to make him feel desired, even if it wasn't Sarah's. What would her touch have felt like? Minor guilt came through him for thinking of her at such a time but that was soon elapsed from arousal.

Felt he had given her enough time to adjust, he withdrew a third of his length, smirking proudly from the gained moan. Her nails were quite sharp but didn't pester him, if anything it was encouragement. He began to thrust in a slow steady rhythm.

Even at that pace she was startled, biting on her lower lip to stifle her content whimpering groans of sweet blissful friction.

Even so a moan slipped past her lips of Jareth's hand cupping her cheek, still breathing against her delicate neck.

"Tell me" his voice croaked "tell me you love me" begging, pleading to feel wanted.

"I…" her voice shivered, desperately trying to contain herself "I…love you."

From that final word he slammed into her, making her cry out.

"I love you!" She repeated with greater extent, not able to smother her lustful whimpers any longer she wrapped her legs around his waist, feeling him go deeper inside her. She groaned out loudly upon him finding her sweet spot, clawing at his back each time he struck.

"Fuck!" She hissed, feeling her insides tighten like a coiled spring, tighter and tighter with each slow yet powerful thrust. Jareth himself began to grunt, feeling his member being tightly embraced. Not yet would he climax, not yet.

He raised his head to look down upon blushing Anne who at eye contact looked away.

"Look at me!" He demanded, consumed with erotic power he had over the mortal girl. Obediently she did so and that very connection made it all more special to her; to gaze yearningly at the face of her lover before reaching their climax.

Finally reaching that pinnacle her vision blurred in hazy lust. Screaming and panting, she arched her back in a spasm from that powerful orgasm, more grand and wondrous then the last. Having her walls squeezing his dick, Jareth reached his limit as well, letting out a loud grunt before spilling his hot seed into her, filling her womb.

Finally spent he collapsed upon Anne, panting with his length still within her. Anne panted and blushed with love, allowing her hands to softly roam his back, noticing how sticky with sweat he was and his damp hair sticking to her skin. Eventually he rolled off Anne who lightly gasped at the sensation her of her vagina leaking. Indeed she was of the King's sperm but said nothing in case it was somehow taken into offence.

Regaining his breath he pulled her onto his chest, embracing her as a needy child would to its favourite toy. With what energy was left she pulled herself up to claim his kiss. Though exhausted she smiled down sweetly at him, making him smile also. How he loved it the way she smiled as it being so rare for her. Sharing a last kiss she snuggled down against him, relishing his soothing warmth, savouring his given love.

I would very much like to say they lived happily ever after. Two lonely souls finally soothed with each others compassion.

But alas, there is so much more to say to this story for within the castle, in a solitary room lies two crystal balls, one clear and pristine as the tear of a newborn, the other murky and dusty as if untouched for years. And within the old crystal ball was an image, a vision of a beautiful woman of dark hair and eyes green as emeralds.

It was Sarah Williams.


End file.
